Bheki Mkhwane
Bheki Mkhwane (1963-). Mime, clown, actor, script writer.
His name is on occasion found spelled as Bheki Mkwhane.
Contents
Biography
He grew up in KwaMashu township. He was a formidable footballer growing up and he also watched Gibson Kente's shows.
Training
Trained at the Jaques le Coq school in Paris.
Career
Worked with Nicholas Ellenbogen’s Loft Theatre Company at NAPAC and later the Theatre for Africa group, also run by Ellenbogen.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
Bheki was a founder member of Theatre for Africa of which Nicholas Ellenbogen was artistic Director, and performed in 1990 in Horn of Sorrow and Eagle.
Played lead roles in Elephant of Africa and Guardians of Eden*???
He later joined Ellis Pearson, and the two of them have produced and toured such works as A Boy Called Rubbish (1996), Kaboom! and Amazwi Omoya (1998-9) and Skadonk (2000) nationally and internationally.
He also performed in The Hungry (The Laager 2006), the Market Theatre production of Born Thru the Nose by Greig Coetzee and Bheki Mkhwane, staged in the The Laager, 17 January - 25 February 2007, Touch My Blood (2009), Dinner Talk, Makana (2001), The Soldier's Tale (Stravinsky music), Khaya in the Sky, The Suitcase (2012).
He wrote Sitting Around the Fire and co-wrote Solomon's Pride, Kaboom!, The Wedding Goat (2010)
He translated Lara Foot’s play Tshepang into and performed in Zulu (as uThembalethu - Tshepang),
His first television role was in Isibaya in 2013.
Awards
Mkhwane won the Best Lead Actor, Best Production and Best Script for a New South African Play for Solomon's Pride (Vita Award 1997-1998, Durban).
Durban Theatre Award 2008 for Born thru the Nose.
Sources
"Who is Bheki Mkhwane?", Safrolebs.com[1]
Sowetan, 23 July 1998.
The Star, 1 October 1999.
Citizen, 10 September 2001 (Makana).
Sunday Independent, 20 October 2013.
Folder containing publicity administration and invoices relating to the production of Born Thru the Nose, held by NELM: [Collection: MARKET THEATRE]: 2007. 32. 9. 36. 1.
Various entries in the NELM catalogue.
eThekwini Living Legends [2].
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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