Hermien Dommisse

(****-****). Stage, radio, screen and television actress, director, academic author, cultural activist. Also published as H. (Hermien) McCaul-Dommisse.

Biography

Born 27 October 1915 , studied at the University of Pretoria

She died on 24 March 2010 in Edenvale, South Africa.

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

Stage work

She worked as an actress (and later also as director on occasion) with Volksteater, the Krugersdorp Municipal Dramatic and Operatic Society (KMDOS), a number of independent theatre companies (e.g. André Huguenet Geselskap), NTO, NAPAC and CAPAB.

As a professional actress she appeared in Netnou Hoor die Kinders, Dionusia and in Plekkie in die Son, . Since she had previously also worked with the Volksteater, she played a part in familiarising Anna Neethling-Pohl with the work being done by P.P.B. Breytenbach. **

Helshoogte ("Hell's Heights" - an Afrikaans version of Wuthering Heights) for André Huguenet's company in the 1943, Die Koopman van Venesië (an Afrikaans version of The Merchant of Venice) for Fred Engelen (Little Theatre Cape Town, 1960), *

Among her other directing projects over the years have been Bluebird (Maeterlinck) for Pta Girl’s High.

Film

Made a number of films, including roles in Die Kandidaat (1968), Jannie Totsiens (Also known as Farewell Johnny, 1970), Pappa Lap: 'n Verhaal van 'n pa en sy dogter (1971), Ma Skryf Matriek (1975), Netnou Hoor die Kinders! (1977), Plekkie in die Son (1979), Fiela se Kind (1988) and That Englishwoman (1989).

Television

Best known publically in later years for her TV roles, namely "Mrs Duvenhage" in Agter Elke Man and "Monika Vorster" in the long-running soap Egoli: Place of Gold.

Cultural role

She played a crucial role in the promotion of opera as an art form in South Africa,

Author

Over the year she published a number of articles on all aspects of the performing arts, plus two books: and Voetspore ("Footsteps"), an informal auto-biographical look at her role in the evolution of the performing arts in South Africa (1996),

[JH, TH]

Awards, etc

In 1999 she received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award for her contribution to the industry.

Sources

Du Toit, 1988

Inskip, 197*

SACD 1973; 1978/79; 1979/80;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermien_Dommisse

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1241197/bio

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