Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival

History

Founded on May 10, 1960 by Helen Mann and Bruce Mann, inspired by a speech made by André Huguenet after his performance of King Lear at the Port Elizabeth Opera House.

From 1960 to 1966, the Festival was produced and managed by the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild. From 1967 to 1971, the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild entered into an association with the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society, producing three productions: Romeo and Juliet (1969), Twelfth Night (1970) and The Merchant of Venice (1971). From 1972, the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival operated independently, essentially absorbing the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild.

Initially, productions were staged at indoor venues in Port Elizabeth such as the Port Elizabeth Opera House, but in 1971, The Merchant of Venice was presented in the open-air at Happy Valley. The venue was unsuitable, and from 1972, Festival productions were staged at the venue in St George's Park, later named Mannville.

Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival Productions

1960: King Lear, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Red Cross, directed by Will Jamieson, with John Hamber, Helen Mann, Andre Huguenet, Gordon Roberts, Lorna Levenson, Paddye Bunce.

1960: A Winter's Tale, presented by PEMADS, directed by Mary Howe, with Mari Mocke, Noel Annear, G. Neil-Boss, Rob Fletcher, Ronald Davis, Jim Shorrock.

1963: Hamlet, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Red Cross, directed by Will Jamieson. Starring: John Hamber, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Philip Jackson, Alf Porter, Jim Shorrock.

1964: The Taming of the Shrew, presented by the Theatre Guild for the Hellenic Community, directed by Will Jamieson. Starring John Hamber, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, and Gordon Roberts.

1964: Die Koopman van Venesie, presented by PEAAT, directed by Mari Mocke, with Jac Smit, Carina Zeelie, Annatjie van Wyk, Rufus Geel, J.J. Engelbrecht.

1965: Much Ado About Nothing, presented by the Theatre Guild for the University of Port Elizabeth. Directed by Margaret Inglis. Starring John Hambler, Helen Mann, Clive Selley, Derek Scarr, Alf Porter, Gordon Roberts.

1968: Macbeth, presented by PEMADS, directed by Will Jamieson, with Gabrielle van der Riet, David Blood, G. Neil-Boss, Sally Carrol, Lorna Levenson, Jim Shorrock.

1968: Shakespeare Recital, presented by CAPAB, with Leslie French.

1969: Romeo and Juliet, presented by the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild and the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society,

1970: Twelfth Night, presented by the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild and the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society,

1971: The Merchant of Venice, presented by the Port Elizabeth Theatre Guild and the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society, at Happy Valley.

Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival - First outdoor theatre production.

1971: The Merchant of Venice (for the Port Elizabeth Gilbert and Sullivan Society.) Directed by Leslie French. Starring: Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Roy Williams, Alf Porter, Leslie French.

1971: Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival

1971: Oliver

1972: Everyman.

1972: A Midsummer Night's Dream and The Sound of Music.

Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival Productions at Mannville

1972: A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Leslie French, Starring Leslie Speyers, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Philip Godawa, Alf Porter, Leslie French.

1973: As You Like It directed by Leslie French. Starring Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Bud Baylis, Alf Porter, Leslie French.

1974: The Tempest directed by Leslie French. Starring David Crichton, Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Bud Baylis, Alf Porter

1975: Macbeth directed by Leslie French. Jeremy Baylis, Helen Mann, Helen Wilkins, Bruce Sanderson, Alf Porter, Bud Baylis.

1976: The Taming of the Shrew directed by Helen Mann. Starring Jeremy Baylis, Liz Shires, Helen Wilkins, Patrick Scott, Alf Porter, Jeremy Baylis.

1977: Hamlet directed by Helen Mann. Starring: Jeremy Baylis, Lorraine Young, Gary Carter, Bud Baylis, Alf Porter, Joan Sneesby.

1978: Othello directed by Helen Mann - A tribute to John Shelton. Starring: Jeremy Baylis, Bud Baylis, Helen Wilkins, Patric Scott, Alf Porter, Gary Carter.

1979: Much Ado About Nothing directed by Helen Mann. Starring: Terry Codd, Trevor Hicks, Brigitte Johnson, Gwyn James, Alf Porter, Jacqui Palmer.

1980: Romeo and Juliet directed by Helen Mann. Starring: Amber Cummings, Trevor Hicks, Helen Wilkins, Gwyn James, Alf Porter, Ian Liston.

1981: Twelfth Night directed by Helen Mann. Starring: Robin Emslie, Carol-Ann Kellerher, Lorraine Young, Bruce Sanderson, Alf Porter, Themi Venturas.

1982: A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Helen Mann. Starring: Ian Liston, Trevor Hicks, John McDermott, Helen Wilkins, Alf Porter, Bruce Sanderson.

1983: As You Like It, directed by Helen Mann. Starring Ian Liston, Trevor Hicks, John McDermott, Lorraine Young, Alf Porter, Tony Sylvester.

1984: The Tempest, directed by Helen Mann. Starring John McDermott, Milton Drury, Ian Liston, Dave Whitehouse, Alf Porter, Andre Lemmer.

1985: King Lear, directed by Helen Mann. Starring John Hussey, Joan Sneesby, Helen Wilkins, Lorraine Young, Alf Porter, Andre Lemmer.

1986: Macbeth, directed by Helen Mann. Starring Ian Liston, Dianne Kingsley, Helen Wilkins, John McDermott, Alf Porter, Andre Lemmer.

1987: Hamlet, directed by Themi Venturas. Starring Ian Liston, Andre Lemmer, Helen Wilkins, Linda-Louise Swain, Alf Porter, Bob Law.

1988: Richard III, directed by Helen Mann. Starring Trevor Hicks, Noel Annear, Helen Wilkins, Marlene Pieterse, Alf Porter, Lorraine Young.

1989: The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Helen Mann. Starring Trevor Hicks, Dianne Kingsley, Brett Adkins, Bob Law, Alf Porter, Linda-Louise Swain.

1990: The Merchant of Venice, directed by Helen Mann. Starring John Hussey, Susanne Beyers, John McDermott, Linda-Louise Swain, Alf Porter, Noel Annear.

1991: Romeo and Juliet

1992: A Midsummer Night's Dream

1993: Twelfth Night

1994: Much Ado About Nothing

1995: Othello

1996: All the World's a Stage

1997: Romeo and Juliet

1998: Macbeth

1999: The Tempest

2000: Hamlet

2001: The Merchant of Venice

2002: The Taming of the Shrew

2003: King Lear

2004: Twelfth Night

2005: A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Helen Flax

2006: Much Ado About Nothing

2007: As You Like It

2008: Richard III

2009: Romeo and Juliet

2010: Othello

2011: A Midsummer Night's Dream

2012: Anthony and Cleopatra (at the Opera House)

2013: Hamlet (at the Little Theatre)

2014: Macbeth (at the Little Theatre)

2015: Twelfth Night directed by Lesley Barnard

2016: The Tempest directed by Helen Flax

2017: Much Ado About Nothing directed by Linda-Louise Swain.

2018: The Merchant of Venice, directed by Helen Flax.

Andre Huguenet Memorial Lectures

1971: Prof Edward Davies

1972: Alec Bell

1973: P P B Breytenbach

1974: Maurice A Wiggett

1975: Siegfried Maynard

1976: Rodney M Phillips

1977: Prof Robert Mohr

1978: Barry Ronge

1979: Colin du Plessis

1980: Dr Temple Hauptfleisch

1981: Jonathan Paton

1982: Dr Norbert Nowotny

The Mannville Open-air Theatre

The Organisation enlisted the help of the Port Elizabeth Municipalities' Parks Department to built the open-air amphitheatre in St George's Park, later named Mannville Open-air Theatre (after founders Helen Mann and Bruce Mann – but with obvious echoes of the Cape Town example of Maynardville Open-air Theatre). John Shelton was responsible for constructing both of these open-air theatres.

See further Mannville Open-air Theatre

Sources

The Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival, An appreciation and a tribute. By John Hamber - undated but believed to be 1982.

The Herald, 20 April 2005

https://ivormarkman0.wixsite.com/mannville

Laurence Wright and Lin Gubb. 'A Tribute to "Stratford-on-Baakens": Thirty Years of the Port Elizabeth Shakespearean Festival'. Shakespeare in Southem Africa Vol. 3. 1989. 1-8.

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