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Reza de Wet (1952-2012) was a South African actress, award-winning playwright, novelist and drama lecturer.

Biography

Born in the rural town of Senekal in the Free State, the only child of Judge H.F. de Wet and Elizabeth Mary De Wet (née Marais). When her father was stationed in Bloemfontein, she attended school and matriculated at the Hoër Meisieskool Oranje[1] ("Oranje Girl's High School"). Her mother, generally known as "Tawty", was involved in local amateur operetta and drama. Her classmates thought her a bit enigmatic, but she excelled in drama, performing in the school plays. The school now has an annual drama festival named after her.

Two other female influences on her and her work were her maternal grandmother Frederica Rousseau, en her mother's Sotho housekeeper Betty Motsamai, while three significant theatrical influences from her youth and student days have clearly had a significant long term effect on the evolution of her particular style of playwriting and the themes she tackled: Her early exposure to the theatrical work of the Afrikaans writers and touring companies, her exposure to circus performances and during her student years, her introduction to Russian realism and the work of Anton Chekhov (1860–1904)[2] and Konstantin Stanislavski (1863–1938)[3].

De Wet studied English and Drama at the University of the Orange Free State (1971-1973), inter alia being trained in Konstantin Stanislaviski's acting techniques under Henk Hugo. She then went to the University of Cape Town to study for a B.A. Honours in acting, notably influenced by Robert Mohr, who considered her a natural Chekhovian actress and cast her in four of his productions of the plays. She later completed a part-time MA in English literature (cum laude) at the University of South Africa, under the supervision of Ian Ferguson.

After a stint as an actress for PACT (including its experimental The Arena Company) and the Market Theatre, she and her husband Lindsay Reardon moved to Grahamstown, where he taught drama and she initially lectured in English department, later joining the Drama department staff.

De Wet died of leukemia in January 2012 and is survived by her husband actor and director Lindsay Reardon and daughter Nina Van Schoor, and her grandchildren Max and Mairi.

Career

De Wet had a number of related interests, as reflected in the arc of her career, all driven by her strong creative urge and fecund imagination.

As actress

She worked as an actress for PACT (including its experimental The Arena Company), where she met Lindsay Reardon, whom she later married. She later also performed at the Market Theatre,

Having completed her studies, De Wet auditioned for Mannie Manim at PACT, and became a member of the PACT Experimental Youth Group (also known as The Arena Company), led by Ken Leach. However she also from the start had major roles in main stream productions by the main company. In the experimental company the performers were encouraged to create their own work and to workshop plays. It was here she met Lindsay Reardon, whom she later married.

Reardon followed Manim to the Market Theatre when Barney Simon and Manim founded the new venue, and he there directed Reza in a production of Miss Julie.

As director

As director De Wet did, among other plays, Arthur Miller's The Crucible, (1989) and August Strindberg's The Ghost Sonata for the Rhodes University Drama Department. Her final directing job at Rhodes was her own play Heathcliff Goes Home (2007).

As playwright

Fascinated from her youth with theatre, she wrote some early work in English, notably her first play, Heathcliff and the Dancing Bear. However, in 1985 she suddenly leapt to national prominence as a playwright when, urged by Francois Swart and Denys Webb, she wrote and submitted her first Afrikaans play, Diepe Grond, to the ATKV Kampustoneel-festival in Pretoria, where it premiéred sensationally. This led to a steady stream of neo-Gothic (what some refer to as "Afrikaner Gothic") works by De Wet.

The plays

Vrystaat Trilogie (“Free State Trilogy” – P: 1991) contained: Diepe Grond (S 198*), Op Dees Aarde (lit. “On this earth”, S: 1986) and Nag, Generaal (“Goodnight General” – S: 1988?*). Then two English plays: In a Different Light (S: 1988) and A Worm in the Bud (S: 1988, S: 1990, P: 1995). Returned to Afrikaans with the trilogy Trits: Mis, Mirakel en Drif (P: 1993), contains: Mis (a complex title which can refer to any or all of “Fog”, “Dung”, “to miss a target” or “the Catholic Mass” – S: 1993 - Winner Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1993), Mirakel (lit. “miracle” – S: 1994) and Drif (Lit. both “a ford in a river” or “passion” – S: 1994 Winner Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1994). After a novel (**** 1994), returned to a performance text for the First Physical Theatre Company, (S: 199*), then the first of her Chekhov works, the superb Drie Susters Twee (“Three Sisters Two” - S: 1997, P: 1996. Winner Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1997) and Yelena (S: 1998). These were followed by ** (199*), ** (20**), ** (200*) and Breathing In (2004). On the later productions, worked closely with director designer Marthinus Basson.

The first playwright and only the second author to win the prestigious Hertzog Prize twice in a row for the same medium (1993, 1996).

DE WET, Reza. Her Diepe Grond starring Dawid Minnaar, Susan Coetzer, Gys de Villiers and Doris Sihula under Lucille Gillwald’s direction was staged at Upstairs at the Market in 1986. Her A Worm in the Bud was staged in 1990.

Other plays are Concealment (2004) The Brothers, Broers (2006) On the Lake (Grahamstown Festival, 2001)

Verleiding, a piece with Antoinette Kellerman and Heike Gehring, (Woordfees, 2005, 2018)

Blou Uur (Blue Hour) Aardklop festival, 2008 Die See (The Sea), was performed at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival in April 2011. Her last play *** was performed post-humously *** in 2012.

DE WET, Reza (1952-) Actress, award-winning playwright, novelist and drama lecturer. Born in Free State, studied Drama and English at the UOFS and UCT. Acted for the Market Theatre, married Lindsay Reardon and from 1980 taught at Rhodes University Drama Department, Grahamstown. Premiéred as playwright with Diepe Grond (Lit: “Deep Ground”) at the ATKV Kampustoneel festival]] in Pretoria (1982). (S: Market Theatre, 1985, P:1987, Tr: Dearth.) Produced a steady stream of neo-Gothic (“Afrikaner Gothic”) works: Vrystaat Trilogie (“Free State Trilogy” – P: 1991) contained: Diepe Grond (S 198*), Op Dees Aarde (lit. “On this earth”, S: 1986) and Nag Generaal (“Goodnight General” – S: 1988?*). Then two English plays: In a Different Light (S: 1988) and Worm in the Bud (S: 1988, S: 1990, P: 1995). Returned to Afrikaans with the trilogy Trits: Mis, Mirakel en Drif (P: 1993), contains: Mis (a complex title which can refer to any or all of “Fog”, “Dung”, “to miss a target” or “the Catholic Mass” – S: 1993 - Winner [[Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1993), [[Mirakel] (lit. “miracle” – S: 1994) and Drif (Lit. both “a ford in a river” or “passion” – S: 1994 Winner [[Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1994). After a novel (**** 1994), returned to a performance text for the First Physical Theatre Company, (S: 199*), then the first of her Chekhov works, the superb Drie Susters Twee (“Three Sisters Two” - S: 1997, P: 1996. Winner Fleur du Cap Award for Best New Indigenous Script 1997) and Yelena (S: 1998). These were followed by ** (199*), ** (20**), ** (200*) and Breathing In (2004). On the later productions, worked closely with director designer Marthinus Basson. The first playwright and only the second author to win the prestigious Hertzog Prize twice in a row for the same medium (1993, 1996).

DE WET, Reza. Her Diepe Grond starring Dawid Minnaar, Susan Coetzer, Gys de Villiers and Doris Sihula under Lucille Gillwald’s direction was staged at Upstairs at the Market in 1986. Her A Worm in the Bud was staged in 1990. She achieved an MA in English literature through the University of South Africa and taught in the drama department at Rhodes University, where she became a professor, for more than 20 years before retiring in 2007. Die See (The Sea), was performed at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival in April 2011, and in which she acted for the first time in 20 years, she announced that she had written everything she wanted to write and would not be writing any more. In late October last year she was diagnosed with a particularly aggressive form of leukaemia. In addition to her plays, De Wet wrote a novel called Heathcliff Goes Home, in which she explores the life of Emily Brontë's brooding hero before he arrived at Wuthering Heights.

Translations

Reza de Wet: Plays One An English version of the collection Trits: Mis, Mirakel en Drif translated by Steven Stead and published by Oberon Books, 2000. (Includes the plays Missing, Crossing and Miracle).

Reza de Wet: Plays Two Translated by Reza de Wet. Foreword by Marthinus Basson. Published by Oberon Press 2005. (Contains African Gothic, Good Heavens and Breathing In.)

De Wet: A Russian Trilogy (Reza de Wet)

De Wet: Plays One (Reza de Wet)

De Wet: Plays Two (Reza de Wet)

De Wet: Two Plays (Reza de Wet)

As novelist

After completing Trits, she turned to prose for a while, completing a novedl called Stil Mathilda ("Quiet Mathilda"),

As Lecturer

In 1982 de wet and her husband moved to Grahamstown, where they both worked in the drama department at Rhodes University. She taught in the drama department for more than 20 years, later being made a professor, and retired in 2007.

Awards and tributes

In April 2013 the Rhodes University Drama Department devised a a tribute show to the playwright, entitled Drifting, which was performed at the Rhodes Theatre during Graduation on 4, 6 and 9 April 2013 at 7:00pm. Similar tributes were held at other Universities in South Africa.

The Hoër Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein named their annual Drama festival after Reza de Wet.

The Reza De Wet Post Graduate Bursary fund was established at Rhodes University in her memory.

Sources

Temple Hauptfleisch. 1993. "Die dramaturg as towenaar: ŉ Inleiding tot Mis, Mirakel en Drif". In: Reza de Wet. 1993. Trits (Mis, Mirakel, Drif). HAUM-Literêr.

Anja Huismans, and Juanita Finestone. 1995. "Interview: Anja Huismans and Juanita Finestone talk to Reza de Wet". South African Theatre Journal, 9 (1): 89 – 95.

http://www.argief.litnet.co.za/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_news_item&news_id=64476&cause_id=1270

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_de_Wet

https://af.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reza_de_Wet

Danie Stander. 2017. "Reza de Wet – Haar Lewe en Werke", In: Programme for KKNK Festival, 2017[4]

Anton Krueger. 2009. Experiments in Freedom: Explorations of Identity in New South African Drama. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.[5]

https://www.oberonbooks.com/reza-de-wet.html

Greg Homann 2015. in Martin Middeke, Peter Paul Schnierer and Greg Homann (editors). The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary South African Theatre. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography