Emile Aucamp

Emile Aucamp (19**-1995) Theatre technician, lighting designer and drama lecturer. .

Biography

An immensely talented, popular and quirkily eccentric man, he attended school in Kimberley, and obtained a B.A. from the University of Stellenbosch.

He was the first technical dramatic student to be trained by Prof. Engelen as stage manager and lighting technician.

He was married to Elaine Aucamp and they have three children. Emile died unexpectedly on 16 August 1995.

A Student support fund at the University of Stellenbosch is named after him.

Career

After a short free-lance career touring with National Theatre Organisation, he was appointed as chief theatre technician for the the new H.B. Thom Theatre in Stellenbosch on 1 July, 1966. In this capactiy he was responsible for the workshop and lighting, and for training new technicians and stage managers for the industry. His students were much sought after and filled numerous positions throughout the industry over the years. Aucamp continued doing free-lance lighting design for Cape Town and Stellenbosch theatres (notably the Space, CAPAB and the Oude Libertas Open Air Theatre) and did quite a bit of acting, particularly film and TV work.

He became quite a public figure for his work as “Doorsie” in the television series Sagmoedige Neelsie (about the writer C.J. Langenhoven – 1984) and particularly as “Ou Dok” in the hugely successful Boer War series Arende (“Eagles”-19**). Also in the Ross Devenish film The Guest at Steenkampskraal.