Malcolm Purkey

(1951-) Actor, director, playwright, influential drama lecturer and theatre administrator. Born in Orange Grove, Johannesburg, his father was a jazz pianist and his mother a singer. Went to Highlands North High, and after a short while in Britain, returned to do a BA at University of the Witwatersrand. Inspired by Workshop '71 he and some friends (William Kentridge, ** & **) founded Junction Avenue Theatre Company in 1976, later joined by members of Workshop '71. Involved in the founding of the University of the Witwatersrand's School of Dramatic Art in 1975, he designed the stage for the Nunnery Theatre, and later managed the Space. Having gone to State University of New York at Binghamton in 1978 on a Fulbright Scholarship, to complete a master's degree, he joined the staff staff of the Wits drama school as lecturer in 1984, becoming Professor and chair in 2000. In 2004 he became the Director of the Market Theatre. Best known for the plays he has created and/or facilitated and directed for Junction Avenue Theatre Company, including The Fantastical History of a Useless Man (1976), Randlords and Rotgut (1978), Will of a Rebel (1979), Security (1979), Ilanga lizophumela abasebenzi (1980), the immensely successful Sophiatown (1986) and Love, Crime and Johannesburg (1997). Fond of Brecht, Purkey has a number of times directed popular productions of The Threepenny Opera with students and professionals. PURKEY, Malcolm. He directed Tom Stoppard’s Travesties starring Vanessa Cooke, Nicholas Ellenbogen and William Kentridge at Upstairs at the Market in 1978. He directed Des and Dawn Lindberg’s production of I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It On the Road starring Bruce Millar and Dawn Lindberg at the Arena Bistro Theatre in 1980. He directed Tom Stoppard’s Jumpers, starring Ron Smerczak, Nicholas Ellenbogen and Michele Maxwell at the Market in 1980. In collaboration with the Company, his Junction Avenue Theatre Company presented Sophiatown starring Minky Schlesinger at Upstairs at the Market in February 1986, the Market main house, abroad, with many return visits. He directed David Mamet’s Speed the Plow at Upstairs at the Market in 1990. He directed Tom Kempinski’s Duet for One in 1994.

Sources

Tucker, 1997

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