Roy Sargeant

(19*) Director, filmmaker, academic and teacher. Trained ***. At the age of 25 he directed his first play, Farquhar’s The Beaux Stratagem at the Hofmeyr Theatre Cape Town, starting a love affair with comedy and particularly the comedy of manners which has played an enormous role in his career. In 1973 he became the (first ???) professor and head of the Drama Department at Rhodes University and turned that department into one of the premier schools for training in the country. As head of the department he also played a major role in the establishment of the Grahamstown Festival. In the time he directed a large number of plays for varous amateur and professional companies, including the various Performing Arts Councils. In 198* he left to become a director (*?) for the SABC. In 19** he moved to Franschoek in Cape Town where he opened a restaurant ("Polfyntjies"). Since 199* he has been involved with the Baxter Theatre as director of the Baxter Theatre’s successful New Writing Programme. In 200* moved on to Artscape, where he continued the programme. Also founded his own production company, Roy Sargeant Productions in 19**. Among his most memorable productions are * Sheridan's The Rivals (PACOFS, 197*), **, ***, Glass Roots (Baxter Theatre, 2000), **, (Kirstenbosch, 2003), ** (Kirstenbosch, 2004), **The Return (Fatima Dike, 2008). SARGEANT, Roy. Director. He directed Pinero’s The Magistrate starring John Hayter for PACT at the Alexander in 1969. He directed Sheridan’s The School for Scandal starring John Hussey, Erica Rogers, Richard Haines and Bobby Heaney for PACT at the Alexander in 1980. He directed Peter Nichols’ A Day in the Death of Joe Egg for the Company at the Market in May 1980. It starred Danny Keogh and Sandy Dacombe. He directed Peter Shaffer’s Shrivings with Joe Stewardson and John Hussey for PACT in 1982. WAS UNDER ROY SERGEANT (19*-) Director, teacher. Born in **, studied at ***, . Became founding head of the Drama Department of Rhodes University in 19*. Helped establish the Grahamstown Festival and served on its planning committee for many years. Also did freelance work, i.a. acting in The Mind Mirror for **(197*, also playing at The Space), **, **. Left the University in 198* to become the Head of English Drama at the SABC. Left them in 19*, briefly ran a restaurant in Franschoek, then returnded to freelance work in the Cape. Since 200* much involved with script development and enabling new artists in the region by his involvement with the Baxter Theatre, Artscape and his own company, Roy Sargeant Productions ??** As director did i.a. **, The Rivals (PACOFS, 196*), The Death of a Salesman (CAPAB*?, 1979), The Relapse (CAPAB*?, 1979), **, ***, Glass Roots (Baxter Theatre, 2000) Winner of two Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards as Best Director (1978, 2000),

Quoted from the programme of The Elephant Man produced in 1998 and directed by Sargeant: 'Roy Sargeant, formerly Professor of Speech and Drama at Rhodes University, played a seminal part in the establishment of the Standard Bank National Festival of the Arts. Besides serving on the very earliest festival committee, he served as Chairman of that committee for many years, also as Artistic Adviser, while the Student Drama Festival, the establishment of the Standard Bank Young Artists' Awards and the Winter School were his brain children.

'He is currently Artistic Consultant to the Baxter Theatre Centre. He won the M-Net Vita Best Film award for his production of Athol Fugard's The Road to Mecca. Now he writes and directs for television and his drama series dealing with Alan Paton's time at Diepkloof Reformatory, The Principal, was broadcast on SABC 3 last year. His adaptation of Alison Lowry's novel, Natural Rhythm, was broadcast this year together with a mini-series on the life of Helen Joseph, If This Be Treason. He has just completed writing a TV movie of Alan Paton's second novel, Too Late the Phalarope, and is developing a new TV series for Grundy TV (Cape Town) and the SABC.

'He directed a hugely successful production of Brian Friel's play Dancing at Lughnasa for the Baxter in March and established an ongoing playwriting programme for the Baxter. A Writer's Last Word, currently being performed at the Baxter, is its first commission.'

Sources

Programme notes of The Elephant Man in 1998.

Tucker, 1997

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