Ashraf Johaardien

(1974-). Playwright, poet, columnist, performer and arts manager.

Biography

Born in Cape Town in 1974. Currently (2014) lives in Johannesburg where he is the Head of UJ Arts & Culture at the University of Johannesburg.

Training

Studied drama at the Universty of Cape Town. Holds an International Baccalaureate from United World College of the Atlantic in Wales and a Bachelor of Arts Degree and an English Honors Degree from The University of Cape Town.

Career

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

Strong focus on Gay issues. Published works include Coloured Son X, Salaam Stories (SALAAM), Happy Endings are Extra, Stripped, Miracle, Ecce Homo! adapted from Tim Miller’s Body Blows and The Quiet Violence of Dreams based on the novel by K. Sello Duiker. His work has been performed and produced at mainstream theatres and festivals in South Africa, Ireland, the UK, the Netherlands and the USA. His work has been published by Compress, Just Done Productions Publishing, Oxford University Press, Waverly Books (Glasgow) and Umuzi (Random House). He also writes The Perfumed Closet, a monthly column published in The Pink Tongue (Independent Newspapers).

Highlights as a performer include his solo performance of Ecce Homo! which he adapted from Body Blows: Six Performances by performance artist Tim Miller; the role of the mute street kid in the original production of Suip!; and the title role in the South African film Sando to Samantha which has been screened at film festivals in Cape Town, Johannesburg, New York, Toronto, Paris, San Francisco, Chicago, Turin, Adelaide, Bologna, Brussels, Melbourne and Lisbon.