Jeanne Goosen

Jeanne Goosen (1937-2020) was an Afrikaans journalist, writer and playwright.

Biography

Born Jeanette Helena Goosen on 13 July 1938 in Parow, Cape Town. She died in Melkbosstrand near Cape Town on 3 June 2020.

A biography by Petrovna Metelerkamp entitled Jeanne Goosen: 'n Lewe vol sinne was published in May 2020. She died late night on Tuesday 2 June 2020 at her house in Melkbostrand.

Training

Attended Parow High School and studied radiography at the University of Cape Town. Obtained her licentiate in piano at Unisa and she also plays the clarinet.

Career

She has followed a variety of careers, among others radiographer, farmer, fisher, and also journalist at Afrikaans daily papers like Oggendblad, Hoofstad and Transvaler and the Natal paper Tempo. Jeanne is currently (2014) a regular columnist for By, a supplement to Die Burger and Beeld.

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

Three one-act plays: Drie eenakters: Kombuis-Blues; Kopstukke; ’n Koffer in die Kas (1992)

Her cabarets and plays are still performed with great success. In 2001 a compilation of Goosen's work by Susanne Beyers and Joanie Combrink titled Dalk is ons almal só was performed.

Goosen is one of the most versatile writers in Afrikaans, with poetry (’n Uil vlieg weg), novels (Ons is nie almal so nie), novellas (Wie is Jan Hoender?), short stories (’n Kat in die Sak), plays (Kombuis-Blues) and cabaret. She published her first volume of poetry ’n Uil vlieg weg in 1971, but it is above all for her award-winning book Ons is nie almal so nie that she became known. This book was awarded the CNA, Rapport and M-Net Prizes. André P. Brink translated Ons is nie almal so nie into English as We're not all like that.

Poetry: ’n Uil vlieg weg (1971); Orrelpunte (1975); Elders aan diens (2007).

Prose: ’n Uil vlieg weg (novella) (1975 ); ’n Kat in die sak (short stories) (1986); Louoond (novella) (1987); Ons is nie almal so nie (novel) (1990); o.a. Daantjie Dromer (novel) (1992); ’n Gelyke kans (short stories) (1995); Wie is Jan Hoender? (novella) (2001); Straataf (short stories) (2001); ’n Pawpaw vir my darling (novel) (2002); Plante kan praat (short stories) (2010)...

Awards, etc

Kombuis-Blues received the Vita Award with Trudie Taljaard in the leading role and Sandra Prinsloo as director. It was performed nationwide as well as in London, Frankfurt, Brussels, Leuven en The Hague.

Awards include: CNA Prize (1990) for the novel Ons is nie almal so nie; Rapport Prize (1990) for Ons is nie almal so nie; M-Net Prize (1991) for Ons is nie almal so nie; Rapport Prize (1992) for Drie Eenakters; Afrikaans Onbeperk Award from the KKNK in (1998) for Ons is nie almal so nie (novel), in 1992 for o.a. Daantjie Dromer (novel), in 1995 for ’n Gelyke kans (short stories), in 2001 for Wie is Jan Hoender? (novella), in 2001 for Straataf (short stories), in 2002 for ’n Pawpaw vir my darling (novel)...