Brian Collins

COLLINS, Brian. (19**-) An Irish born theatre technician and designer. Started his career as a scenic artist, working under his father, John Collins at the enormous Theatre Royal in Dublin. He then joined the world famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin as resident designer and production manager, where he worked for twenty years. Brought out to South Africa in 1983 by John Slemon to be the Production Manager and Designer for the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town. Over the years he has designed numerous productions, and has won Vita Awards in three categories: Best set for Beautiful Thing (19**) and Grace and Glorie (19**), Most Original Costumes for Greek (19**) and best lighting for The Glass Menagerie (19**). Received the Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best Contribution to Stage Design for The Elephant Man and Dancing at Lughnasa (1998) and Vatmaar (2002).

Quoted from the programme of The Elephant Man in 1998: 'Brian Collins, an Irishman, started his career in the theatre as a scenic artist, working under his father, John Collins, at the enormous 3000-seater Theatre Royal in Dublin. When the Royal was sadly demolished, to be replaced by a high-rise office block, he was offered the position of Resident Designer at the world-renowned Abbey Theatre, where he worked for twenty years as designer and production manager.

'Brian came to South Africa 15 years ago (circa 1983) to take up the position of Production Manager/Designer at the Baxter Theatre Centre where he has designed numerous productions. He has won Vita Awards in all three design categories, Best Set for Beautiful Thing, Most Original Costumes for Greek and Best Lighting for The Glass Menagerie, as well as receiving a number of Vita nominations.

'Last year in the new Fleur du Cap Stage Design category he was nominated for best contribution to stage design for his set for Greek, and once again this year he received a Fleur du Cap nomination for his set design for Madame De Sade. Brian designed the set and lighting for the recent highly successful productions of Dancing at Lughnasa, Grace & Glorie and Pinocchio.'

Sources

Programme notes of the The Elephant Man in 1998.

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