Johann van Heerden

(1949-) Drama lecturer, stage and film actor and director. Son of local director and actress Marie van Heerden. Trained at the University of Stellenbosch Department of Drama. As a young actor he made something of a name for himself on the Stellenbosch and Cape stage, and particularly in films.

In 1973 he became a lecturer in acting and directing at the University of Stellenbosch, completed an M.Dram degree.

As actor

Stage roles include Selle Ou Storie (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1974) at The Space,

Other lead roles in stage productions include:

'Martin Dysart' in Equus, (Peter Shaffer); 'Vincentio' in Measure for Measure (Shakespeare); 'Victor' in The Mad Woman of Chaillot (Jean Giraudoux); 'Die Vreemdeling' in Die Goue Kring (Uys Krige); 'The Director' in Six Characters in Search of an Author (Luigi Pirandello); 'Leontes' in The Winter's Tale (Shakespeare); 'Bob' in The Private Ear (Peter Shaffer); various characters in The Fall and Redemption of Man (John Bowen); 'Dr Dussel' in The Diary of Anne Frank (Goodrich and Hackett); 'Lukophroon' in Periandros van Korinthe (D. J. Opperman); 'Robin' in The Double Face of Love (Marivaux); 'Marcus' in Germanicus (N.P. van Wyk Louw); 'Joe' in Lovers/Winners (Brian Friel); ; 'Enrique' in The School for Brides (Moliére); 'Alfred' in My Three Angels (Albert Husson); 'Don Pedro' in Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare)

As director

Directed well crafted shows with students. Among his productions for the Department were:

1973: Die Kaukasiese Krytsirkel (Bertolt Brecht), which he had translated from the original German. 1976: Die Goeie Mens van Sezuan (Bertolt Brecht) which he had translated from the original German. 1979: Andorra (Max Frisch) 1980: Lysistrata (Aristophanes) 1981: Woyzeck (Georg Büchner) in an Afrikaans version, which he had translated from and based upon the German source material. 1983: Enrico IV (Luigi Pirandello) in an Afrikaans version, which he had translated from the Italian (translated after study and research period in Italy in 1975) 1986: Die Vlindervanger (The Collector by John Fowles/David Parker). 1986: Van Arme B.B. (the works of Bertolt Brecht) - a biographical study of Bertolt Brecht and his work, based on Brecht on Brecht by George Tabori, in own Afrikaans translation from the German. 1987: August August, August (Pavel Kohout) 1987: Sylvia (compiled by Linda Pienaar) - A biographical study of Sylvia Plath and her work, compiled from her writings.

He also did occasional professional productions, among which *** for SWAPAC in Windhoek.

Translator

In 1988 he left the department after 20 years and joined Frans Marx Films as producer, and later moved on to become a senior manager in the M.Net stable. Retiring in 2003?*, he completed a D.Phil degree in Drama at Stellenbosch University, working on the post-Apartheid theatre (1994-2006) in 2006?*.

Sources

Igweonu, 2011: p474

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