Difference between revisions of "Adrian Kohler"

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KOHLER, Adriaan/Adrian. (19**-) Artist, designer, dancer, dramatist, puppeteer. * He trained in fine art at the University of?*. Worked for [[Space Theatre|The Space]] in the 1970s. There he had a role in the dance production ''[[The Family]]''. Designed ''[[Endgame]]'', ''[[Mixed Doubles]]'', ''[[Old King Cole]]'', ''[[Patrick Pearse Motel]]'', ''[[Tsafendas]]'' and ''[[You’ll Come (chuckle) to Love Your ????? (snigger) Test]]''.  
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[[Adrian Kohler]]  (19**-) Artist, designer, dancer, dramatist, puppeteer.  
  
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Wrote, made the puppets, directed and performed in ''[[Gertie’s Feathers]]''. Was a teacher for a while then worked with the theatre for development group Laedza Banani in Botswana. In 1981 he became a co-founder of the [[Handspring Puppet Company]] (with [[Basil Jones]], [[Jill Faubet]] and [[Joe Weinberg]] ). They moved into full-scale theatre puppetry with a landmark production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' ([[Oude Libertas Theatre]], Stellenbosch, 198*), directed by [[Esther van Rsywyk]].  **. * In the 1990s his collaborations with as designer/director [[William Kentridge]] led to combined the widely celebrated productions of ''[[Woyzeck on the Highveld]]''  (1992), ''[[Faustus in Africa]]'' (1995), ''[[Ubu and the Truth Commission]]'' (1997) and the opera  ''Il Ritorno d’Ulisse'' (“The Return of Ullyses”),  which premiéred at the celebrated Kusten Festival des Artes in Brussels in 1998. He and Jones went on to do ''[[The Chimp Project]]'' (1999?*) and ''[[Tall Horse]]'' (2004). In these multi-media shows the company combine live actors, puppet and film footage. The puppets used for ''[[Faustus in Africa]]'' (designed by [[William Kentridge]] and made by Kohler and company**??) have since been housed in the *** museum in Berlin. In 2000 won the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Award]] for Best Constribution to Stage Design for ''[[The Chimp Project]]''.  
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== Biography ==
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He completed a BA in Fine Art at the [[University of Cape Town]]. Kohler moved to Botswana to run
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the National Popular theatre Programme (theatre for development group Laedza Banani) for three years.  
  
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KOHLER, Adrian. He was part of the [[Handspring Puppet Company]] which made the gull puppets for Robert Hewett’s ''[[Gulls]]'' which [[Keith Grenville]] directed in 1987/1988. He and [[Basil Jones]] made puppets for [[Barney Simon]]’s ''[[Starbrites]]'' which was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in September 1990. ***(****, Tucker, 1997)
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His puppets for Handspring are held in public and private collections including the Constitutional Court in South Africa, the Munich Stadtmuseum in Germany, and the Old Mutual Art Collection.
  
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==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
  
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Adrian worked for [[Space Theatre|The Space]] in the 1970s. There he had a role in the dance production ''[[The Family]]'' and in [[Thirteen Clocks]] and designed for the productions ''[[Endgame]]'', ''[[Mixed Doubles]]'', ''[[Old King Cole]]'', ''[[Patrick Pearse Motel]]'', ''[[Tsafendas]]'', [[Endgame]], and ''[[You'll Come To Love Your Sperm Test]]''.
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He wrote, made the puppets, directed and performed in ''[[Gertie's Feathers]]'', first performed in 1976 at [[The Space]].
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In 1981 he became a co-founder of the [[Handspring Puppet Company]] (with [[Basil Jones]], [[Jill Faubet]] and [[Joe Weinberg]]). They moved into full-scale theatre puppetry with a landmark production of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' ([[Oude Libertas Theatre]], Stellenbosch, 198*), directed by [[Esther van Ryswyk]].
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His [[Handspring Puppet Company]] made the gull puppets for Robert Hewett’s ''[[Gulls]]'' which [[Keith Grenville]] directed in 1987/1988. Adrian and [[Basil Jones]] made puppets for [[Barney Simon]]’s ''[[Starbrites]]'' which was staged at the [[Market Theatre]] in September 1990.
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In the 1990s his collaboration with [[William Kentridge]] as designer/director led to widely celebrated productions of ''[[Woyzeck on the Highveld]]''  (1992), ''[[Faustus in Africa]]'' (1995), ''[[Ubu and the Truth Commission]]'' (1997) and the opera  ''Il Ritorno d’Ulisse'' (“The Return of Ullyses”),  which premiéred at the celebrated Kusten Festival des Artes in Brussels in 1998. He and Jones went on to do ''[[The Chimp Project]]'' (2000) and ''[[Tall Horse]]'' (2004). In these multi-media shows the company combine live actors, puppet and film footage. The puppets used for ''[[Faustus in Africa]]'' (designed by [[William Kentridge]] and made by Kohler and company**??) have since been housed in the *** museum in Berlin.
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== Awards, etc. ==
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Among the many awards that Adrian has won, some shared with [[Basil Jones]], are the ACT AWARDS (Arts & Culture Trust Awards of the President) Lifetime Achievement Award, a [[Naledi Award]] for [[War Horse]], a [[Vita Award]] (Gauteng region) for [[Faustus in Africa]], best set design, shared with [[William Kentridge]], a [[Fleur du Cap]] (2001) for  Best technlcal contribution to a theatre production for [[The Chimp Project]].
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A discretionary award ([[Vita Award]], national) for their imaginative puppet creations featured in a number of productions went to Adrian and [[Basil Jones]] in 1991.
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== Sources ==
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[[ESAT Bibliography Ar-Az|Astbury]] 1979.
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[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
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[[The Natal Witness]], 9 September 1991.
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Kalk Bay Modern [www.kalkbaymodern.co.za/adrian-kohler-1].
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== Return to ==
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities K]]
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities K]]
  

Revision as of 15:54, 5 April 2018

Adrian Kohler (19**-) Artist, designer, dancer, dramatist, puppeteer.

Biography

He completed a BA in Fine Art at the University of Cape Town. Kohler moved to Botswana to run the National Popular theatre Programme (theatre for development group Laedza Banani) for three years.

His puppets for Handspring are held in public and private collections including the Constitutional Court in South Africa, the Munich Stadtmuseum in Germany, and the Old Mutual Art Collection.

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

Adrian worked for The Space in the 1970s. There he had a role in the dance production The Family and in Thirteen Clocks and designed for the productions Endgame, Mixed Doubles, Old King Cole, Patrick Pearse Motel, Tsafendas, Endgame, and You'll Come To Love Your Sperm Test.

He wrote, made the puppets, directed and performed in Gertie's Feathers, first performed in 1976 at The Space. In 1981 he became a co-founder of the Handspring Puppet Company (with Basil Jones, Jill Faubet and Joe Weinberg). They moved into full-scale theatre puppetry with a landmark production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (Oude Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch, 198*), directed by Esther van Ryswyk.

His Handspring Puppet Company made the gull puppets for Robert Hewett’s Gulls which Keith Grenville directed in 1987/1988. Adrian and Basil Jones made puppets for Barney Simon’s Starbrites which was staged at the Market Theatre in September 1990. 

In the 1990s his collaboration with William Kentridge as designer/director led to widely celebrated productions of Woyzeck on the Highveld  (1992), Faustus in Africa (1995), Ubu and the Truth Commission (1997) and the opera   Il Ritorno d’Ulisse (“The Return of Ullyses”),  which premiéred at the celebrated Kusten Festival des Artes in Brussels in 1998. He and Jones went on to do The Chimp Project (2000) and Tall Horse (2004). In these multi-media shows the company combine live actors, puppet and film footage. The puppets used for Faustus in Africa (designed by William Kentridge and made by Kohler and company**??) have since been housed in the *** museum in Berlin.


Awards, etc.

Among the many awards that Adrian has won, some shared with Basil Jones, are the ACT AWARDS (Arts & Culture Trust Awards of the President) Lifetime Achievement Award, a Naledi Award for War Horse, a Vita Award (Gauteng region) for Faustus in Africa, best set design, shared with William Kentridge, a Fleur du Cap (2001) for Best technlcal contribution to a theatre production for The Chimp Project.

A discretionary award (Vita Award, national) for their imaginative puppet creations featured in a number of productions went to Adrian and Basil Jones in 1991.

Sources

Astbury 1979.

Tucker, 1997.

The Natal Witness, 9 September 1991.

Kalk Bay Modern [www.kalkbaymodern.co.za/adrian-kohler-1].

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities K

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to Main Page

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