Rajesh Gopie
Rajesh Gopie (19**-) Actor, playwright, director on stage, film, TV and radio.
Not to be confused with the Indian actor Rajesh Gope[1].
Biography and training
Born in Durban and studied at the University of Natal where he obtained a B.A. in English, Drama and History. After his studies, he lived in England for a year and upon returning to South Africa opened the solo play, Out of Bounds, which has gone on to become an international hit.
In 2004 did an intensive course on Shakespeare at Oxford.
In 2013 he was head of department at the Durban branch of AFDA (from January to July) and was then awarded the Oppenheimer Scholarship to pursue post-graduate studies in London, where he completed his Masters in Actor training and coaching at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2014.
In 2015 he was the Artist/Scholar-in-Residence in the Wits School of Arts/Division of Dramatic Arts (from January to August) and in the same year founded and became the Director of ActorWise- Acting Academy.
Career in South African performing arts
As actor roles in Be Proud, Be Yourself (19**), Out of Bounds (1999), The Coolie Odyssey (2002), The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (20**),The Chimp Project (20**), Romeo and Juliet (20**), Back to the Faith (20**), Mahatma vs Gandhi (20**), The Pinter Sketches (20**), The Wiz (20**), Hamlet (playing the lead. Baxter Theatre, 2005 – dir Janet Suzman), *.
As writer has produced Out of Bounds (1999), Be Proud, Be Yourself Out of Bounds (2001), The Coolie Odyssey (2002), Mahatma-Madiba (20**), Marital Bliss (20**), Too Close for Comfort (2005?*).
As director he has done Yerma (2015)
As TV actor has had roles in Zero Tolerance, SOS, Madam and Eve and Generations
He has also done local and international film work.
Sources
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rajesh_Gopie
CV of Kriben Pillay
Rajesh's important Durban 'breyani', The Mercury, April 6 2012[2]
http://www.artlink.co.za/news_article.htm?contentID=37640
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rajesh-gopie-10474923/?originalSubdomain=za
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