Trix Pienaar

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Trix Pienaar (1939- ) is an stage, film and TV actress and .

Biography

Born on 11 May 1938 in Malmesbury, the daughter of a parson.

She started out working as a librarian, but while dreaming of becoming a writer. She married John Ractliffe with whom she had a son, Jacques.

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

She was discovered as an actress by Jans Rautenbach, who had met herat a social evening and cast her in a cameo role in his film Pappa Lap. Impressed he next gave her a leading role in Sarah (1975), alongside Gordon Vorster - and a role for which she won the Rapport Oscar.

Film has been her favourite genre, and she appeared in a large number over the years, including The Guest (Fugard/Devenish, 1977),


As a stage actress, she performed in The Miracle Worker (as “Annie Sullivan”), An Oak Falls (as “Sally”)

At The Space in the 1970s, becoming a member of Pieter-Dirk Uys's theatre company Syrkel in 1975, to appear in Karnaval (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1975), Strike up the Banned (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1975) , Black Beauty and the Boss (Pieter-Dirk Uys, Labia Theatre, 1976), Snow White and the Special Branch (Pieter-Dirk Uys, Labia Theatre, 1976), It’s My Weekend, Too and Karnaval.

She later also played “Dolla” in the Pieter Toerien revamp of Die Van Aardes van Grootoor and in Die Vleiroos (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1995).

For PACT she appeared in Siener in die Suburbs (1981)

A highlight was her acclaimed performance as "Annie Sullivan" in PACT’s Afrikaans translation of The Miracle Worker called Die Wonderwerk in 1978, .

She has appeared in Briewe aan 'n Rooi Dak, Die Vleiroos, Peepshow, Om Hendrik Weg te Bring, Old Moore's Almanac, Cold Stone Jug, The Island of Slaves (1982), The Guest, Flikkers en Vlooie, Karnaval, Medea, Mis, Kinkels innie Kabel, Scathkadie the Sorceress, Dimetos, 'n Skewe Sirkel, God's Forgotten (1995), Wydekloof, (2001), Stywe Lyne (Charles Fourie, 2003), K (2004), Demjanjuk (2004).

Translated Le Dieu du Carnage into Afrikaans entitled God van Chaos.

In 2005 she participated in The Baxter Storytelling Festival at The Baxter Theatre Centre (in association with Sibikwa Community Theatre Project).

She has been a member of a number of companies, besides working for the arts councils, among them the Syrkel Theatre Company, Fringe and A Company of Actors.

Awards, etc

She was nominated for a Vita Award for her role in 'n Skewe Sirkel (Beeld 23 June 1992)

Die Van Aardes van Grootoor (Fleur du Cap Award, Best Supporting Actress 1992),

Sources

SACD 1977/78; 1978/79; 1979/80; 1981/82.

Tucker, 1997.


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