Tobie Cronjé
(****-****). Won 1978 Gallo Award for I Love my Wife. Performed in Fangs, Man met Vakansie, Othello, Die Rebellie van Lafras Verwey and I Love my Wife (as “Alvin”). Also film and television work. (SACD 1977/78) (SACD 1978/79) (SACD 1979/80)
CRONJÉ, Tobie (***) Actor, comedian and director. The leading Afrikaans comic actor of his times. Trained at the University of Pretoria Drama Department, his quirky looks, prominent chin and lanky but expressive body and slightly squeaky but flexible voice made him an immediate favourite on stage with the Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal. For them he played numerous comic roles, including a cameo in Small’s Kanna hy kô Hystoe, the lead “Lafras” in Die Rebellie van Lafras Verwey (Chris Barnard, 1971), ***, Die Vasvat van ‘n Feeks (Taming of a Shrew, 19**) ***. A multi-talented and bilingual performer, he actually also commands a stong singing voice and a virtuosos musical ability – which has led to numerous roles in musicals. In the 1980s he moved to commercial theatre, performing regularly for Pieter Toerien in such enormously popular shows as Pajama Game?? (19**), Lend me a Tenor (19**), ** and **. With the advent of broadcast television in 1976 he immediately jumped to national prominence with a number of comedy series, notably in the hugely popular Willem (a detective series written by Kobus Louw and starring Cronje as the bungling detective and the young Katinka Heyns as his secretary). This was followed by a number of other notable television roles and a number of films, including the TV series Kootjie Emmer (198*) and Onder Draai die Duiwel Rond (199*) the film Zap Zap. *** As a director he has done ****.
CRONJE, Tobie. He starred in Brickhill-Burke’s production of the Broadway hit I Love My Wife by Michael Stewart, together with Michael McGovern, Erica Rogers and Jessica Jones at His Majesty’s Theatre in 1978. He starred in Pyjama Tops which was staged at the Andre Huguenet in 1979, and the Brooke Theatre in 1980. He starred in Robert Mohr’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream together with Louise Saint Claire, Michael Richard and Etienne Puren during the opening season of the Pretoria State Theatre in 1981. He starred in Brickhill-Burke’s production of I Love My Wife again in 1982 at the Civic Theatre together with Eddie Eckstein. It returned after a run in Sydney with Bartholomew John, Erica Rogers and Sharon Lynne having joined the cast. He starred in One for the Pot for Pieter Toerien in 1985. He starred in Funny Peculiar which Rex Garner directed in 1986. He starred in Tom Stoppard’s Rough Crossings at the Alhambra Theatre in 1987. He made his directorial debut when he directed Nunsense at the Alhambra in 1988. He starred in Charley’s Aunt for Pieter Toerien in 1988. He starred in Pieter Toerien’s production of Lend Me a Tenor in 1990. He starred in PACT’s annual pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Alexander Theatre in 1991, Sing (Roodepoort, 2008, Pretoria & KKNK, 2010) (Tucker, 1997; *)
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