P.J. Conradie

(1931- ) Classicist and drama specialist.

Biography

Born Pieter J. Conradie on 7 February, 1931 in Grahamstown, and completed his schooling at Nassau High School in Mowbray, Cape Town. He obtained the B.A. and M.A. degrees from the University of Stellenbosch, before completing a D.Litt. degree in Greek Literature at the Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht, in the Netherlands.

He became a lecturer and later professor in Greek at the University of Stellenboschj, and later became head of the Department of Classical Languages. He retired in 19**.

Contribution to South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance

His area of specialization was the Greek theatre and playwrights. However his wide-ranging interest in drama per se led to his role as drama critic and a specialist reader for Nasionale Pers (publishers of Afrikaans literary works), as well as his publication of a number of books on academic and critical matters pertaining to theatre. His basic handbook on how to analyse a play (Hoe om ‘n drama te ontleed –196*, 199*) has been a fundamental handbook for schools and universities over many years.

In the 1990s, after his retirement, his interest shifted to comparative studies of Greek and African plays, publishing a series of articles in the South African Theatre Journal.

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