Jack Payne

(****-****). Actor and director. Performed in Equus (as the stable owner at the 7 Arts Theatre) and in Dirty Linen (as “Home Secretary”). Directed An Inspector Calls in ?Salisbury? with John Messurier in the lead role. (SACD 1977/78)

(19*-) English Bandleader and company manager. ** Toured South Africa in 1936. He was the company manager for the production Distinguished Gathering starring British comedian Vic Oliver which was staged at the Brooke Theatre in 1964.

(Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land theatre programme note: Jack Payne was born in London, received his drama training at the Old Vic School [1]. His first professional job was as an actor and stage director for the Dundee Repertory Company where he stayed for four years, during which time he was responsible for a Command Performance at Balmoral Castle. He then spent a year with the Embassy Theatre, Swis Cottage, played in the West End production of Tobacco Road and did seasons with the Intimate Theatre, Palmers Green, the Grand Theatre, Croydon, and five years as producer and actor at the Ipswich Theatre. In 1958 he went to Nairobi's Donovan Maule Theatre where he spent six years as producer and actor, and came to South Africa in 1964 to join the Brian Brooke Company as company manager, and played in such productions as Mary, Mary and Barefoot in the Park and directed Brian Brooke in The Reluctant Debutante. In 1965 he joined NAPAC's permanent acting company and then became company manager for drama, followed by producton organiser of Opera and Ballet for the next eight years.

Sources

Dirty Linen and New-Found-Land theatre programme (undated).

Tucker, 1997

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