Jan Bruyns

(19**-) Afrikaans actor for stage, radio and film. ** Originally began in Cape Town, later moved to Johannesburg. ** *

He joined K.A.T. in Cape Town and played a role in the one-act Plaas Toe by Andries de Klerk. His first big role was in 1944 in Paastyd by Strindberg. In the same year he plays Mat Burke in O’Neill’s drama Anna Christie for Spotlight. In 1945 for K.A.T. in Liefdesvuur by Herman Sudermann, then in The Boy David by Sir James Barrie for the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society. In 1946 he plays prof Henk Johannsen in Die Dae van jou Lewe by WA de Klerk.

Moves to Johannesburg, plays for JAATS in Die Gebreekte Kruik. His one-act play Die Simbool is performed at the FATSSA festival in 1948, which he directs and has a role. Then he plays in an Afrikaans version of The Barretts of Wimpole Steet for JAATS, as well as in Gif en Oujongnooiens as Mortimer Brewster. Volksteater invited him in that role in their production of G en O. Andromache (Racine), directed by Aletta Gericke follows in 1949, and early in 1950 Die Vader by Strindberg. He played Banquo in the NTO production of Macbeth and the general in Die Jaar van die Vuuros, also for NTO.