Jannie Gildenhuys

GILDENHUYS, Jannie. (1929-1999) Bilingual radio, stage and film actor and stage director.

Biography

Born in **, trained at the University of Stellenbosch??****. Renowned for his incredibly resonant voice and vocal abilities, and his creative direction.

He died in August 1999.

Youth

Training

Career

Became a lecturer at a teacher's training college, and - on a study tour of Europe came into contact with modern trends in children's theatre and improvisational theatre, notably the work of Joan Littlewood. On his return in 1959, he proposed and later headed National Theatre Organisation's NTO Youth Theatre group, with former teachers Cobus Rossouw and Leonora Nel. They began touring in the Cape in August 1959, with works they devised and put on as a group, continuing in the Transvaal in 1960. By 1961 two groups had been formed for the two provinces. In 1963 this bulk of these groups became part of the Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT) drama company. Gildenhuys now performed and directed for the PAC's , doing * In 1970*? He became the head of the Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State (PACOFS) experimental theatre group in the Old Presidency Theatre, undertaking significant work as director/actor, including the first professional production of Kanna, hy kô Hystoe (Adam Small), and immensely creative productions of Cry, The Beloved Country (Alan Paton), Becket (Anouilh), ** and Medea (1973)**. He later moved to Cape Town?* to work for CAPAB?*

In the 1980s he toured the country with a number of popular one-man shows, based on books of the bible. die program Die - boodsl<:ap, gedramatiseerde vertellings uit die Bybel, 'n nuwe perspektief op en begrip vir die Evangelies, aangebied. In die vroee jare negentig het hy die eerste program opgevolg met 'n tweede, Die boodskap 2.

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

Hy het aan sowat tweehonderd opvoerings as regisseur en! of akteur gewerk. Sy repertorium het 'n groot verskeiden- , hed stukke behEls, van Pieter Fourie se Hups in die Hydro tot Hugo Claus se ver· werking van Seneca se Oedipus. Dit was egter sy werk in aanbiedings

Sy regie van Moliere se i Die skelm Scapino vir die Nasionale Toneelorganisasie (NTO) bly een van my waardevolste herinnerings. Ook sy aanbieding in die Nico van Sophokles seAntigone met Antoinette' Kellermann en Marthinus Basson. Vir my 'was dit 'n oriverg

GILDENHUYS, Jannie, (regie) Die Jakkalsstreke van Scapino, (vertaal deur Bartho Smit), met Tilana Hanekom, Siegfried Mynhardt, Pieter Geldenhuys, Kita Redelinghuys, Cobus Rossouw, Anton Grobler, Leonora Nel, Johan van Zyl, Frank Graves, (dekor) Doreen Graves (kostuums), Peter Rorke (musiek gekomponeer). NTO jeuggroep: Jannie Gildenhuys, Cobus Rossouw, Leonora Nel & Irene Durr. Doen ook Dieselfde Pad (Kootjie van den Heever.)