Ian Roberts

Ian Roberts (1952-) us a trilingual (English, isiXhosa and Afrikaans) actor for stage, TV and film, director and dramatist and musician.

Biography

He grew up in the Katberg Mountains, was educated at St Andrews College, Grahamstown, then studied at Rhodes University and Port Elizabeth Technikon.

He was married to Michelle Botes.

Career

His first professional years were at CAPAB, which he joined in 1979, the Space Theatre and Troupe Theatre Company. From 1982 onwards he has been predominantly involved in TV and film work, but has done at least one play every year, plus appearing with his band.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

As actor he has appeared in productions such as The Shadow of the Glen (1976), Look Back in Anger (1977), Skyvers (1978), as Stephano in The Merchant of Venice (Maynardville 1979), Death of a Salesman (1979), as Mosie in Die Swerfjare van Poppie Nongena (1979), Kafka’s Metamorphosis (1980), Chinchilla (1980), Claw (1981), Agamemnon (1981) Summit Conference (1981), Accidental Death of an AnarchistHe wrote Guinea Fowl. Acted in a 1981 production of the play and directed a 1999 production at the National Arts Festival. (1983), Rain (1983), The Real Thing (1983), True West (1983),Going Under (1984), as Boet Cronjé in Die Koggelaar (1987), played Donny in American Buffalo (1988), Mallemeulwals (1998), The Blood Knot (1998),

He is also a playwright, having written a number of scripts, such as The Weekenders (shortlisted for the Amstel Playwright of the Year Award in 1983), Honeytown 1, the musical Palang van Dwaal (an Afrikaans musical play, KKNK, 1998) and Tot Die Dood Ons Skei (1999), .

Since 2000 he has directed a number of productions including co-directing A Savage from the Colonies (2001) and directing Defending the Cavebrats (2002), A Matter of Time (NAF 2003), Expletive Deleted (Musho Festival.Oor Die Berge (2004), Die Vloek van die Strandjutwolf (2006). Die geheim van Slangfontein a movie by Rian Malan.

He became a popular TV personality when he did a Castrol advertisement which developed into the Tepid Toppies and later Crying Shames and finally Radio Kalahari Orkes with Dan Robbertse, Rian Malan. He is also seen in the soap The Wild (January 2007), In-Gene-Uity (NAF 2009).

Awards, etc

DALRO award 1987 for the best performance in Afrikaans in Die Koggelaar

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Roberts_%28South_African_actor%29

American Buffalo theatre programme 1988.

Tucker, 1997.

Rapport, 23 October 2011.

Photographs, theatre programmes held by NELM.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities R

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page