Penny Simpson

Penny Simpson (194*-). Designer.

Career

After completing a BA Fine Arts Degree at UCT (Wits?), followed by 4 years in the UK studying Theatre Design at the then Sadlers Wells Design School (now known as Montley), Penny Simpson returned to South Africa and joined CAPAB as a Design assistant to Raimond Schoop.

In 1993 Simpson returned to the Artscape as Costume and Wardrobe manager and remained there until 2012. She continues to freelance.

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

In her long career Penny has designed costumes and/or sets for productions of Strindberg Without Tears (CAPAB 1971), Biography (CAPAB 1971), Play Strindberg (CAPAB 1971), Hadrian the Seventh (CAPAB 1971-1973), Olympia en Haar Vryers, (PACOFS 1972), Tom Thumb, or The Tragedy of Tragedies (CAPAB 1972), Oom Wanja (CAPAB 1972), Miss Julie (CAPAB 1973), Mother Courage and her Children (CAPAB 1973), The Circus Adventure (CAPAB 1973), The Game of Kings (CAPAB 1974), London Assurance (CAPAB 1974), Present Laughter (CAPAB 1974), Rookery Nook (CAPAB 1975), Three Cheers for President Charlie (CAPAB 1975), Die Ryk Weduwee (CAPAB 1976), Faan se Stasie (CAPAB 1976), Drie Susters (CAPAB 1976), Arms and the Man (CAPAB 1977), Confusions (CAPAB 1979), Relatively Speaking (CAPAB 1979), Show Boat (CAPAB 1979), The Diary of Anne Frank (CAPAB 1979).

She continued in the 80s with Die Fisici (CAPAB 1980), Kat in die Donker (CAPAB 1980), Die Swerfjare van Poppie Nongena (CAPAB 1981), Poor Murderer (CAPAB 1981), Macbeth (CAPAB 1972 and 1981), First Monday in October (CAPAB 1981), Daar Leef Mense Daar (CAPAB 1982), The Tempest (Maynardville 1982), Kyk Hoe Hol Hulle (CAPAB 1983), Why Strelitzias Can't Fly (CAPAB 1983), Up 'n Atom (1983), Knickerbocker Knockabout (CAPAB 1983, Forbidden Fruits (CAPAB 1983), The Taming of the Shrew (Maynardville 1984), Ian Ferguson’s Falstaff (CAPAB 1984), Betrayal (CAPAB 1984), Exit the King (CAPAB 1984), Fiddler on the Roof (PACOFS and CAPAB 1985), Francis (1985), Man of La Mancha (1986), Antony and Cleopatra (NAPAC 1987), NAPAC production of The Sleeping Prince: An Occasional Fairy Tale (1987), Die Droomkotiljons (CAPAB.

The Wizard of Oz (PACOFS 1991), 'n Lam vir die Pase (PACOFS 1993), The Wiz (Playhouse Company 1995), Fiela's Child, 1999 followed and since 2000 productions include 'Buckingham Palace', District Six (Artscape 2000-2001), Op Dees Aarde – 'n Plattelandse storie (2012), Blood Brothers (2013), Sunset Boulevard, Cabaret (2015).

She participated in the Prague Quadrennial, an exhibition of all aspects of design related to theatre in 2007,

Awards, etc.

Vita Award, best costume design, Fiela’s Child, 1999.

Naledi Award 2013 Sunset Boulevard.

Sources

Die Burger, 30 Julie 1999.

Sunday Independent, 17 June 2007.

Cape Times, 21 November 2013.

The Star, 18 March 2014.

Theatre Lives [1].

The Green room Solo Exhibition Catalogue 2019 [2].

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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