Difference between revisions of "Norman Coates"

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== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
  
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He studied fine arts at UCT.
  
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=== Career ===
  
=== Youth ===
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For 4 years was Resident Designer at the Almost Free Theatre in London and designed +/- 40 new plays by writers such as Edward Bond, Tom Stoppard, Robert Patrick and Heathcote Williams. Received a Young Designers Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and studied theatre design in Germany. He then joined the British American Repertory Company and designed Stoppard's ''[[Dog's Hamlet]]'', ''[[Cahoots Macbeth]]'', ''[[Dirty Linen]]'' and English playwright Wolf Mankowitz's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Mankowitz] (1924-1998)  ''[[The Irish Hebrew Lesson]]''.
  
 
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Going freelance, Norman went on to design for such establishments as the Overground Theatre Club, RADA, Rose Bruford College, the Shaw Theatre, The Criterion and the Churchill.
 
 
=== Training ===
 
Studied fine arts at UCT.
 
 
 
 
 
=== Career ===
 
Has lived and worked mainly abroad. For 4 years was Resident Designer at the Almost Free Theatre in London and designed +/- 40 new plays by writers such as Edward Bond, Tom Stoppard, Robert Patrick and Heathcote Williams. Received a Young Designers Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and studied theatre design in Germany. He then joined the British American Repertory Company and designed Stoppard's ''[[Dog's Hamlet]]'', ''[[Cahoots Macbeth]]'', ''[[Dirty Linen]]'' and English playwright Wolf Mankowitz's [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Mankowitz] (1924-1998)  ''[[The Irish Hebrew Lesson]]''. Now freelance, Norman has designed for the Overground Theatre Club, RADA, Rose Bruford College, the Shaw Theatre, The Criterion and the Churchill.
 
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
  
In the early 1970’s he, [[Antony Osler]] and [[Suzanne Goldberg]] (AKA [[Suzanne Brenner]]), started a small theatre company in the basement of the La Perla restaurant in Rondebosch. We were no match for the more important, and successful,  Space theatre company, in town, but we certainly got an audience.
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Norman and Tony then decided to come home, and in the early 1970’s he, [[Antony Osler]] and [[Suzanne Goldberg]] (AKA [[Suzanne Brenner]]), started a small theatre company in the basement of the La Perla restaurant in Rondebosch. This kept going for about 9 months until the fire department closed them down.
 
 
I returned to the UK to pursue a career in theatre design, Suzanne remained in SA, and Tony, after returning to the UK to teach and study, returned to SA to pursue his career as a human rights lawyer, and eventually also a Buddhist teacher.
 
 
 
  
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Norman then returned to the UK to pursue a career in theatre design, while Suzanne remained in SA, and Tony, after returning to the UK to teach and study, returned to SA to pursue his career as a human rights lawyer, and eventually also a Buddhist teacher.
  
Among the many productions he has been involved with have been:   
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Among the many South African productions Norman Coates has been involved with have been:   
  
 
He was the designer for ''[[The Survivors]]'' (Downstairs at [[Space Theatre|The Space]], 197*), ''[[Hardy Folk]]'' and ''[[Marico Moonshine and Mampoer]]'' at the [[Market Theatre|Market]], ''[[The Paradise Concerto]]'' by [[Mario Schiess]] at the [[Roodepoort Civic Theatre]], ''[[A Touch of Pink]]'' (a drama for the [[SABC]] TV).   
 
He was the designer for ''[[The Survivors]]'' (Downstairs at [[Space Theatre|The Space]], 197*), ''[[Hardy Folk]]'' and ''[[Marico Moonshine and Mampoer]]'' at the [[Market Theatre|Market]], ''[[The Paradise Concerto]]'' by [[Mario Schiess]] at the [[Roodepoort Civic Theatre]], ''[[A Touch of Pink]]'' (a drama for the [[SABC]] TV).   
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==Sources==
 
==Sources==
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 +
E-mail Correspondence from [[Norman Coates]], Tuesday 2021/12/14
  
 
''[[84 Charing Cross Road]]'' programme notes in 1982 at the [[Market Theatre]].
 
''[[84 Charing Cross Road]]'' programme notes in 1982 at the [[Market Theatre]].

Revision as of 16:10, 16 December 2021

Norman Coates. (19**-) Designer. ***

Biography

He studied fine arts at UCT.

Career

For 4 years was Resident Designer at the Almost Free Theatre in London and designed +/- 40 new plays by writers such as Edward Bond, Tom Stoppard, Robert Patrick and Heathcote Williams. Received a Young Designers Award from the Arts Council of Great Britain and studied theatre design in Germany. He then joined the British American Repertory Company and designed Stoppard's Dog's Hamlet, Cahoots Macbeth, Dirty Linen and English playwright Wolf Mankowitz's [1] (1924-1998) The Irish Hebrew Lesson.

Going freelance, Norman went on to design for such establishments as the Overground Theatre Club, RADA, Rose Bruford College, the Shaw Theatre, The Criterion and the Churchill.

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

Norman and Tony then decided to come home, and in the early 1970’s he, Antony Osler and Suzanne Goldberg (AKA Suzanne Brenner), started a small theatre company in the basement of the La Perla restaurant in Rondebosch. This kept going for about 9 months until the fire department closed them down.

Norman then returned to the UK to pursue a career in theatre design, while Suzanne remained in SA, and Tony, after returning to the UK to teach and study, returned to SA to pursue his career as a human rights lawyer, and eventually also a Buddhist teacher.

Among the many South African productions Norman Coates has been involved with have been:

He was the designer for The Survivors (Downstairs at The Space, 197*), Hardy Folk and Marico Moonshine and Mampoer at the Market, The Paradise Concerto by Mario Schiess at the Roodepoort Civic Theatre, A Touch of Pink (a drama for the SABC TV).

He designed Saturday Night at the Palace.

Awards, etc

Sources

E-mail Correspondence from Norman Coates, Tuesday 2021/12/14

84 Charing Cross Road programme notes in 1982 at the Market Theatre.

Saturday Night at the Palace programme notes, 1982.

Sunday Independent, 8 July 2007.

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