Johann van Heerden
(1949-) Drama lecturer, stage and film actor and director. Son of local director and actress Marie van Heerden. Trained at the University of Stellenbosch Department of Drama. As a young actor he made something of a name for himself on the Stellenbosch and Cape stage, and particularly in films.
In 1973 he became a lecturer in acting and directing at the University of Stellenbosch, completed an M.Dram degree.
As actor
Stage roles include Selle Ou Storie (Pieter-Dirk Uys, 1974) at The Space,
Other lead roles in stage productions include:
'Martin Dysart' in Equus, (Peter Shaffer); 'Vincentio' in Measure for Measure (Shakespeare); 'Victor' in The Mad Woman of Chaillot (Jean Giraudoux); 'Die Vreemdeling' in Die Goue Kring (Uys Krige); 'The Director' in Six Characters in Search of an Author (Luigi Pirandello); 'Leontes' in The Winter's Tale (Shakespeare); Bob in The Private Ear (Peter Shaffer); various characters in The Fall and Redemption of Man (John Bowen); • Dr Dussel in The Diary of Anne Frank (Goodrich and Hackett) • Lukophroon in Periandros van Korinthe (D J Opperman) • Robin in The Double Face of Love (Marivaux) • Marcus in Germanicus (van Wyk Louw) • Joe in Lovers/Winners (Brian Friel) • Enrique in The School for Brides (Moliére) • Alfred in My Three Angels (Albert Husson) • Don Pedro in Much Ado about Nothing (Shakespeare)
He also acted for student productions on occasion, e.g. played the role of the Director for Pirandello's Ses personasies op soek na 'n skrywer (Six Characters in Search of an Author) .
As director
Directed well crafted shows with students. Among his productions for the Department were:
1973: Die Kaukasiese Krytsirkel (Bertolt Brecht), which he had translated from the original German. 1976: Die Goeie Mens van Sezuan (Bertolt Brecht) which he had translated from the original German. 1979: Andorra (Max Frisch) 1980: Lysistrata (Aristophanes) 1981: Woyzeck (Georg Büchner) in an Afrikaans version, which he had translated from and based upon the German source material. 1983: Enrico IV (Luigi Pirandello) in an Afrikaans version, which he had translated from the Italian (translated after study and research period in Italy in 1975) 1986: Die Vlindervanger (The Collector by John Fowles/David Parker). 1986: Van Arme B.B. (the works of Bertolt Brecht) - a biographical study of Bertolt Brecht and his work, based on Brecht on Brecht by George Tabori, in own Afrikaans translation from the German. 1987: August August, August (Pavel Kohout) 1987: Sylvia (compiled by Linda Pienaar) - A biographical study of Sylvia Plath and her work, compiled from her writings.
He also did occasional professional productions, among which *** for SWAPAC in Windhoek.
Translator
In 1988 he left the department after 20 years and joined Frans Marx Films as producer, and later moved on to become a senior manager in the M.Net stable. Retiring in 2003?*, he completed a D.Phil degree in Drama at Stellenbosch University, working on the post-Apartheid theatre (1994-2006) in 2006?*.
Sources
Igweonu, 2011: p474
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