Johan de Meester

Johan de Meester, Jr. (18*-19*) was a Belgian actor, and highly regarded director and manager.

Born in Belgium, the son of a theatre critic and literary figure, he trained and performed (alongside Paul de Groot and Anton Verheyen) with the Hagespelers in 't Voorhout of Eduard Verkade in Amsterdam. Later he became leader of the prestigious company Het Vlaamsche Volkstoneel. As a director he concentrated on original Dutch and Flemish plays, or localizations of classical work.

In his company he also had the young Jan Plaat, who was to become a household name in Pretoria as Jean Plaat-Stultjes.

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

De Meester visited South Africa in the 1950s to direct plays for the South African National Theatre Organisation, including Oedipus Rex (1955), Lysistrata (1958), Moon Birds (1958).

Sources

Helikon, 5(21), 1955.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue]].

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