Nicholas Ellenbogen
(****-****). Actor. Trained in England. Performed in Travesties (at the Market Theatre), Clouds and in The Unvarnished Truth. (SACD 1977/78) (SACD 1978/79) (SACD 1979/80)
ELLENBOGEN, Nicholas. (19**-) Actor, director, dramatist and theatre producer. Born in Zimbabwe, he studied at the University of Cape Town Drama School?* One of the leading exponents of the improvisational method in South Africa, Ellenbogen has over the years developed a specific style of improvisatory and mimetic theatre and became a driving figure behind the establishment of the Fringe at the Grahamstown Festival. As performer helped devise and appeared in A Touch of 1900s (The Space ,197*), An Arabian Night (Market Theatre 197*), *. As director he did *. As writer has produced *. In 19* joined NAPAC where he founded the Loft Theatre Company and began exploring this style with Ellis Pearson, ** Grealy and others. In 199* he and Pearson*? founded Theatre for Africa, to use improvisational and mimetic principles in a theatre aimed at eco-issues. Their major productions have been ***. Simultaneously Ellenbogen also continued to capitalise on the success of his entertaining physical style of satiric comedy in Raiders of The Lost Aardvark??** In 19* he moved to Cape Town to open a series of theatre venues. He first set up a tiny bucket-seat theatre at the Olympia Café in Cape Town, followed by the Kalk Bay Theatre, which he created by transforming an old church building into a two-level restaurant and performance venue. His third venture was to convert the old Muizenberg post office near Cape Town into an 84-seat amphitheatre which he called the Post Box Theatre. Also returned to acting with roles in Twelfth Night (Maynardville, 2006 – Fleur du Cap Award for best supporting actor).
ELLENBOGEN, Nicholas. He starred in Tom Stoppard’s Travesties, directed by Malcolm Purkey, with Vanessa Cooke and William Kentridge at Upstairs at the Market in 1978. He starred in The Academy production of Michael Frayn’s Clouds, directed by Stockton Briggles and also starring Andre Hattingh in 1979. He starred in the Toerien-Firth Company production of Royce Ryton’s The Unvarnished Truth with Anthony Fridjhon, Michael Richard and Lynne White with direction by Joan Kemp-Welch at the Intimate Theatre in 1979. He starred in Malcolm Purkey’s production of Tom Stoppard’s Jumpers, together with Ron Smerczak and Michele Maxwell at the Market Theatre in 1980. He starred in Henry Rootenberg’s Zeyda together with Molly Seftel and Frantz Dobrowsky at the Laager and the Alexander Theatre in 1981. He wrote and acted in Precious Remnants directed by Jon Maytham in July 1983. His pantomime A Nativity was staged at the Market Theatre in 1990. His Theatre for Africa presented Raiders of the Lost Aardvark at the Wits University Theatre in 1991. He directed Cinderella for Theatre for Africa at the Wits University Theatre in 1991. His Nick goes Native was staged at the Amphitheatre in 1992. His Theatre for Africa presented Kwamanzi and Elephant of Africa at the Wits Theatre in 1992.
At the National Arts Festival 1997, Spirit of the Lake a musical created with Scottish director Toby Gough.
ELLENBOGEN, Nicholas, Patrick Mofkeng & Godfrey Johnson in Raiders, lord of the dings. Olympia Bakery, Kalk Bay. (2003) The Diaries of Diesel du Toit by Nicholas Ellenbogen. Also Nhlanhla Mavundla & Liz Szymczak. Olympia, Kalkbaai.
Sources
Nominee 1991 Ellenbogen, Nicholas for A Nativity (Dawie Malan Award for best South African Play);
Percy Tucker. 1997. Just the Ticket. My 50 Years in Show Business. Johannesburg: Witwatersrand University Press.
Matthews, Alexander. nd. Work/Life: Nicholas Ellenbogen – Playwright. An interview posted on Aerodrome AERODROME at http://aerodrome.co.za/worklife-nicholas-ellenbogen-playwright/. Accessed: 6 September, 2017.
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