Nomhle Nkonyeni

(****-****). Actress. Performed in Dark Voices Ring (as part of the Serpent Players with Athol Fugard at the People’s Space), We Shall Sing for the Fatherland (at the People’s Space and the Market Theatre), The Hill (at the People’s Space), Poppie Nongena (as “Popppie” with CAPAB, 1981). (SACD 1981/82)

(19**-) Actress on stage and film, and (according to Loren Kruger, 1999, p239) the first black African woman director of literary drama in South Africa. Started with the Serpent Players in Port Elizabeth in the rearly 1970s, playing “Aniko” in The Caucasian Chalk Circle for Athol Fugard. *Then went to The Space in Cape Town (where her mother Elizabeth was a cleaner), to act in in Fatima Dike’s The First South African (1977, playing the mother) and Medea (197*). When Rob Amato founded People’s Space, she played the “Older woman” in Zakes Mda’s The Hill (1980) ***, ***. For them also co-directed (with Rob Amato) Zakes Mda’s Dark Voices Ring (1979) and The Hill (1980). * Moved to the Transvaal?* and went on to become a stalwart of the Market Theatre, working with Barney Simon on ** and for PACT at the Windybrow Theatre, doing Ulovane Jive (1985) and The Time of the Hyena (1985)**. In 1997 she acted in Duma ka Ndlovu’s The Game.? NKONYENI, Nomhle. Together with Aletta Bezuidenhout, Clare Stopford, Nandi Nyembe and Jacqui Singer she workshopped and starred in Ulovane Jive which was the opening production of the Windybrow Theatre circa 1986. She starred in Tjaart Potgieter’s production of Mitzi Booysen’s The Time of the Hyena together with Pierre Knoesen and Elize Cawood at the Windybrow Theatre circa 1986. Starred in Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King's Horseman in 1992. Starred in Romeo and Juliet at the State Theatre and the Alexander in 1992. Starred in Athol Fugard’s Boesman and Lena in 1993.

Received a Naledi Theatre Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2005

Nomhle Nkonyeni, one of the original members of the Serpent Players. The Last Bus – idea born while Fugard rushed after rehearsals to get them on the last bus from Schoenmakerskop to New Brighton. Friday’s Bread on Monday. Her first professional production was in Medea (Euripides) directed by Barney Simon. Second, The First South African, by Fatima Dike. Around 1981 Poppie. Cupid in Tyhume, Gr Fest 2006.

Sources

Astbury 1979; Tucker, 1997; Kruger 1999

The Herald, 12 June 2006.

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