Dawie Malan

(1949-1985) Actor and director

Biography

Born and grew up in Maltahöhe, South West Africa/Upington,South Africa (sources conflict), he was an immensely creative and talented performer and director, who battled physical disability and health problems to firmly establish himself as an influential presence in the Cape theatre of the 1970s and early 1980s.

Died tragically at the age of 36.

Training

He trained at the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department.

Career

He worked at the Space Theatre. For a while worked for the CAPAB Company] before he joined SWAPAC (1976). He moved to Johannesburg and in 1977 became a founder member of Fringe. Also did freelance work for Chris Pretorius’s Glass Theatre.

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

At the Space Theatre he performed in Black Beauty and the Boss (Pieter-Dirk Uys, Labia, 1976), Snowhite & the Special Branch! (Pieter-Dirk Uys, Labia, 1976), He soon turned to directing and directed i.a. Die Trommel, Eskoriaal, Piekniek te Velde and Wooed and Viewed, and acted in Line / It’s called the Sugar Plum, Skyvers/Jollers, Snow White and the Special Branch, 'Tis Pity She's a Whore and Workplay.

For SWAPAC he acted in Exit the King (King Berenger), Twee Dosyn Rooi Rose (Bernardo), The Lesson (The Professor), Elsewhere Fine and Warm (George). He also designed and stage managed Taraboemdery in 1976.

For Fringe he directed Exit the King, Deathwatch, Die Van Aardes van Grootoor, Info Scandals, The Haunted Host ** Farce About Uys (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1983), Total Onslaught 1984 (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1984). A number of these played at the Market Theatre, where he also directed International Stud (19**) and helped build The Laager.

He directed the Pieter-Dirk Uys play Die Van Aardes van Grootoor at the Baxter Theatre (1977) and as the opening production for the Laager Theatre in September 1978. He directed the play Info Scandals at The Laager in 1979. He directed Pieter-Dirk Uys’ Karnaval starring Magda Beukes, Lida Botha, Dale Cutts and Joey de Koker at Upstairs at the Market in 1981.

He also acted in a number of Afrikaans-language feature films: Die Spaanse Vlieg (1978), Dingetjie en Idi (1977), Eendag op ’n Reëndag (1975) and My Broer se Bril (1972).