Difference between revisions of "Gaynor Young"

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'''Gaynor Young''' (19*-) Actress.
 
  
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'''Gaynor Young''' (b. 1961) is an actress.
  
=== Biography ===
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== Biography ==
An actress for PACT, whose fall from a dangerous set in the [[State Theatre]] Pretoria during a production of ''[[Camelot]]'' in December 1989 caused a major revision in safety provisions in theatres in South Africa when she took the Council and its office bearers to court. Gaynor later wrote and toured a play about her life entitled ''[[My Plunge to Fame]]'' (1994).
 
  
=== Youth ===
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Gaynor (originally Katherine) Young was born on 30 July 1961 in Nakuru, Kenya, where her father was with the local office of African Explosives.  The family moved back to South Africa when he was transferred to Johannesburg.  She attended Durban Girls College as a boarder and then studied drama at [[University of Natal]] in Durban.  As a student she acted in productions like ''[[Andorra]]'' (by [[Max Frisch]]), the musicals ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' (as Hodel), ''[[Oliver!]]'' (as Nancy) and ''[[Anne of Green Gables]]''.  For the latter she was awarded the [[Durban Critics Circle]] prize for the most promising newcomer.  After some time in London, where she attended the Desmond Jones School of Mime, she acted in ''[[On the Razzle]]'' for [[NAPAC]] and in [[Pieter Scholtz]]’s production of ''[[The Butterfingers Angel]]'' at the [[Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre]].
  
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Between 1985 and 1989 she acted in a range of plays in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, including [[Janet Suzman]]’s production of ''[[Othello]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]], in which she played Bianca, a role she repeated in the television version.  She also appeared in [[Fred Abrahamse]]’s version of ''[[A Midsummer Night’s Dream]]'' at the same venue, as well as in ''[[Private Lives]]'' at the [[Baxter Theatre]].  For television she acted in ''[[Playing with Fire]]'' ([[Alan Nathanson]]/1986) and at one stage co-hosted the children’s series ''[[Harry’s House]]''.  With [[Jonathan Rands]] she acted in the film ''[[Big Game]]'' ([[Chris du Toit]]/1988). 
  
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Towards the end of 1989 she was understudying the role of Guinevere in the musical ''[[Camelot]]'' at the [[State Theatre]] for [[PACT]] and when [[Kate Normington]] fell ill, she took the part.  Towards the end of the first act of the matinee on 9 December she exited for a quick change during a blackout and stepped into a void, plummeting eighteen metres down an unguarded lift shaft.  She spent some time in a coma and her injuries were such that she lost much of her hearing and became partially blind.  The accident resulted in an official enquiry and a court case, during which the lack of technical rehearsals for understudies became a major issue,  As a consequence more stringent safety regulations were introduced.
  
=== Training ===
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After a lengthy recuperation and extensive physical therapy she regained some of her independence and began work on a one-woman theatrical work based on her experiences.  Entitled ''[[My Plunge to Fame]]'', it was directed by [[Maralin Vanrenen]] and from April 1994 she took it to various centres, including the [[Grahamstown Festival]].  For her script she was awarded the [[FNB Natal Vita Award]] and in 2000 it became the title of her autobiography.  The workshopped play ''[[During the Fall]]'' (1990), created by her friend [[Gina Benjamin]], was inspired by her tragic accident.
  
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== Theatre Credits ==
  
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1981 – ''[[Fiddler on the Roof]]'' (Director: [[Devi Bughwan]]), 1981 – ''[[Oliver!]]'', 1982 – ''[[Anne of Green Gables]]'', 1983 – ''[[Andorra]]'' (Director: [[Pieter Scholtz]]), 1983 – ''[[On the Razzle]]'', 1983 – ''[[Stop the World, I Want to Get Off]]'', 1984 – ''[[The Butterfingers Angel]]'' (Director: [[Pieter Scholtz]]), 1985 – ''[[The Runner Stumbles]]'' (Director: [[Rex Garner]]), 1985 – ''[[Isn’t it Romantic?]]'' (Director: [[Janice Honeyman]]), 198* – ''[[Celebration]]'' (Director: [[Diane Wilson]]), 1985 – ''[[Murder at the Vicarage]]'' (Director: [[Rex Garner]]), 198* - ''[[Deadly Embrace]]'', 1987 – ''[[Othello]]'' (Director: [[Janet Suzman]]), 1987 – ''[[SABS Approved]]'' (Director: [[Maralin Vanrenen]]), 1988 – [[Peril at End House]], 1988 – ''[[Private Lives]]'' (Director: [[Robert Whitehead]]), 1989 – ''[[A Midsummer Night’s Dream]]'' (Director: [[Fred Abrahamse]]), 1988 – ''[[Cinderella]]'', 1989 – ''[[Scorched Earth]]'' (Director: [[Pieter-Dirk Uys]]), 1989 – ''[[Crossing the Line]]'' (Director: [[Mavis Taylor]]), 1989 – ''[[Once Upon a Time]]'' (Director: [[Jill Gerard]]), 1989 – ''[[Camelot]]'' (Director: ''Francois Swart''), 1994 – ''[[My Plunge to Fame]]'' (Director: [[Maralin Vanrenen]]).
  
=== Career ===
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== Sources ==  
  
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Tucker, Percy - Just the Ticket! My 50 years in show business (1997)
  
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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Young, Gaynor - My Plunge to Fame: Gaynor Young's story (2000)
She starred in ''[[The Runner Stumbles]]'' in 1985; ''[[Private Lives]]'' ([[National Arts Festival]] 1988); in [[Fred Abrahamse]]’s production of ''[[A Midsummer Night’s Dream]]'' at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1989. ''[[Scorched Earth]]'' ([[Pieter-Dirk Uys]], 1989) She was [[Kate Normington]]’s understudy in ''[[Camelot]]'' at the [[State Theatre]] when she suffered a fall from the staged leaving her with impaired hearing, sight and mobility. She told her story in the one-woman show ''[[My Plunge to Fame]]'' in 1994 at the [[Civic Theatre]].
 
  
== Awards, etc ==
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Sunday Times (Many issues)
She was awarded a regional [[Vita Award]] (KwaZulu/Natal) for ''[[My Plunge to Fame]]'' (best new script).
 
  
== Sources ==
 
 
National Arts Festival programme, 1988. 58.
 
National Arts Festival programme, 1988. 58.
  
[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997. 474, 482.
+
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0949561/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
  
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]

Revision as of 19:48, 29 June 2021

Gaynor Young (b. 1961) is an actress.

Biography

Gaynor (originally Katherine) Young was born on 30 July 1961 in Nakuru, Kenya, where her father was with the local office of African Explosives. The family moved back to South Africa when he was transferred to Johannesburg. She attended Durban Girls College as a boarder and then studied drama at University of Natal in Durban. As a student she acted in productions like Andorra (by Max Frisch), the musicals Fiddler on the Roof (as Hodel), Oliver! (as Nancy) and Anne of Green Gables. For the latter she was awarded the Durban Critics Circle prize for the most promising newcomer. After some time in London, where she attended the Desmond Jones School of Mime, she acted in On the Razzle for NAPAC and in Pieter Scholtz’s production of The Butterfingers Angel at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.

Between 1985 and 1989 she acted in a range of plays in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, including Janet Suzman’s production of Othello at the Market Theatre, in which she played Bianca, a role she repeated in the television version. She also appeared in Fred Abrahamse’s version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the same venue, as well as in Private Lives at the Baxter Theatre. For television she acted in Playing with Fire (Alan Nathanson/1986) and at one stage co-hosted the children’s series Harry’s House. With Jonathan Rands she acted in the film Big Game (Chris du Toit/1988).

Towards the end of 1989 she was understudying the role of Guinevere in the musical Camelot at the State Theatre for PACT and when Kate Normington fell ill, she took the part. Towards the end of the first act of the matinee on 9 December she exited for a quick change during a blackout and stepped into a void, plummeting eighteen metres down an unguarded lift shaft. She spent some time in a coma and her injuries were such that she lost much of her hearing and became partially blind. The accident resulted in an official enquiry and a court case, during which the lack of technical rehearsals for understudies became a major issue, As a consequence more stringent safety regulations were introduced.

After a lengthy recuperation and extensive physical therapy she regained some of her independence and began work on a one-woman theatrical work based on her experiences. Entitled My Plunge to Fame, it was directed by Maralin Vanrenen and from April 1994 she took it to various centres, including the Grahamstown Festival. For her script she was awarded the FNB Natal Vita Award and in 2000 it became the title of her autobiography. The workshopped play During the Fall (1990), created by her friend Gina Benjamin, was inspired by her tragic accident.

Theatre Credits

1981 – Fiddler on the Roof (Director: Devi Bughwan), 1981 – Oliver!, 1982 – Anne of Green Gables, 1983 – Andorra (Director: Pieter Scholtz), 1983 – On the Razzle, 1983 – Stop the World, I Want to Get Off, 1984 – The Butterfingers Angel (Director: Pieter Scholtz), 1985 – The Runner Stumbles (Director: Rex Garner), 1985 – Isn’t it Romantic? (Director: Janice Honeyman), 198* – Celebration (Director: Diane Wilson), 1985 – Murder at the Vicarage (Director: Rex Garner), 198* - Deadly Embrace, 1987 – Othello (Director: Janet Suzman), 1987 – SABS Approved (Director: Maralin Vanrenen), 1988 – Peril at End House, 1988 – Private Lives (Director: Robert Whitehead), 1989 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Director: Fred Abrahamse), 1988 – Cinderella, 1989 – Scorched Earth (Director: Pieter-Dirk Uys), 1989 – Crossing the Line (Director: Mavis Taylor), 1989 – Once Upon a Time (Director: Jill Gerard), 1989 – Camelot (Director: Francois Swart), 1994 – My Plunge to Fame (Director: Maralin Vanrenen).

Sources

Tucker, Percy - Just the Ticket! My 50 years in show business (1997)

Young, Gaynor - My Plunge to Fame: Gaynor Young's story (2000)

Sunday Times (Many issues)

National Arts Festival programme, 1988. 58.

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0949561/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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