Difference between revisions of "Robert Kirby"

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search
Line 1: Line 1:
−
KIRBY, Robert. (1936-2007) Satirist, columnist, performer, playwright and director. In the 1960s and 1970s he wrote and performed in numerous sparkling revues, including ''[[Eight Birds]]'' (19**), ''[[Eight Beasts]]'' (19**), ''[[How Now Sacred Cow?]]'' (1976*?). [[Eight Beasts theatre company]] in Cape Town and Johannesburg, the directors were [[Robert Kirby]] and [[Michael Lovegrove]].  ????]Also wrote a number of satirical plays, including ''[[It's a Boy! ]]'' (1981), ''[[Heliotrope Bouquet]]'' (199*),    ''[[While Stocks Last]]'' (1991 - [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]]  for Best New Indigenous Script), ****. His satirical prose works and particularly his newspapers columns over the years have been most popular.
+
KIRBY, Robert. (1936-2007) Satirist, columnist, performer, playwright and director. Satirical writer of revues and plays.
  
−
Kirby was born in Durban and educated there and in Kimberley. He studied music at the University of Cape Town and then joined the SABC as an announcer/producer. He worked after that in London for the BBC in both radio and television and came back to South Africa and to the SABC as a drama producer. His early morning programmes in the late 60's are well remembered.  
+
== Biography ==
 +
Kirby was born in Durban and educated there and in Kimberley.
  
−
KIRBY, Robert. Satirical writer of revues and plays. He wrote the show called ''[[Finger Trouble]]'' in 1968. Late shows were to include ''[[Eight Birds]]'', ''[[Eight Beasts]]'', ''[[The Dot Dash Dot Show]]'', ''[[How Now Sacred Cow]]'' and many others. His revue ''[[Brave New Pretoria]]'' has been critically acclaimed as his best. The [[Des Lindberg|Lindberg]]’s joined him in his show ''[[8 Birds]]'' at the [[Labia Theatre]] in 1970. His ''[[The Dot-Dash Show]]'' starring himself and [[Terry Lester]] was staged at the [[Little Theatre]] in 1975. His ''[[How Now, Sacred Cow?]]'' was staged at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in 1977. [[PACT]] staged his one-man revue ''[[Quodlibet]]'' at the [[Arena]] in 1978. He wrote, directed, and co-starred  (with [[Terry Lester]]) in ''[[Separate Development]]'' at the [[Laager]] in 1980. Together with [[Terry Lester]] he presented Academy Rewards at the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1981. [[Pieter Toerien]] and [[Shirley Firth]]’s last joint production was the [[Baxter Theatre]] production of his ''[[It's a Boy!]]'' starring [[Dale Cutts]], [[Bo Petersen]] and [[James Irwin]] and directed by [[Keith Grenville]] at the [[Intimate Theatre]] in 1982. He contributed to ''[[Graffiti 84]]'', the [[Momentum Theatre]]’s first production in 1984. [[Robert Whitehead]] directed his ''[[The Wrong Time of Year]]'' starring [[Richard Haines]] and [[Anneline Kriel]] in 1984. His''[[ The Bijers Sunbird]]'' starring [[James Mthoba]] and [[Sean Taylor]] under Kirby’s direction was staged at [[Upstairs at the Market]] in April 1986. ***(Tucker, 1997)
+
Born 26 April 1936, died February 2007 at the age of 70. (Sunday Times 18 February 2007).
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Youth ===
 +
 
 +
 
 +
 
 +
=== Training ===
 +
He studied music at the University of Cape Town.
 +
 
 +
=== Career ===
 +
He joined the SABC as an announcer/producer. He worked after that in London for the BBC in both radio and television and came back to South Africa and to the SABC as a drama producer. His early morning programmes in the late 60's are well remembered.
 +
 
 +
His satirical prose works and particularly his newspapers columns over the years have been most popular.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 +
In the 1960s and 1970s he wrote and performed in numerous sparkling revues, including ''[[Eight Birds]]'' (19**), ''[[Eight Beasts]]'' (19
 +
 
 +
He was the co-founder and director, with [[Michael Lovegrove]], of the [[Eight Beasts Theatre Company]] in Cape Town and Johannesburg.  
 +
 
 +
He wrote ''[[Finger Trouble]]'' in 1968; ''[[8 Birds]]'' at the [[Labia Theatre]] in 1970; ''[[The Receiver of Revenue Show]]'' ([[Brooke Theatre]], circa Nov 1973; ''[[The Dot-Dash Show]]'' , 1975; ''[[How Now, Sacred Cow?]]'' , 1977; ''[[Quodlibet]]'', 1978; ''[[Separate Development]]'', 1980; ''[[It's a Boy!]]'' , 1982; ''[[The Wrong Time of Year]]'' , 1984; ''[[Brave New Pretoria]]'', 1984; ''[[The Bijers Sunbird]]'', 1986; ''[[While Stocks Last]]'', 1991.
 +
 
 +
His revue ''[[Brave New Pretoria]]''  (1984)  has been critically acclaimed as his best.
 +
 
 +
Together with [[Terry Lester]] he presented Academy Rewards at the [[Academy Theatre]] in 1981.  
 +
 
 +
He contributed to ''[[Graffiti 84]]'', the [[Momentum Theatre]]’s first production in 1984.
  
−
KIRBY, Robert, ''[[It's a Boy!]]'' [[Keith Grenville]] (dir). The play was a return visit to the [[Baxter Theatre]] in 83 which played to packed houses last August during the Baxter 82 season.  Then transferred to JHB by [[Pieter Toerien]].  Playing at the [[Academy Theatre]].
 
  
−
Born 26 April 1936, died February 2007 at the age of 70. (Sunday Times 18 February 2007).
+
== Awards, etc ==
 +
He won the [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards|Fleur du Cap Theatre Award]]  for Best New Indigenous Script  for ''[[While Stocks Last]]'' (1991).
 +
 
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
 +
[[ESAT Bibliography Tra-Tz|Tucker]], 1997.
  
−
Programme of the play ''[[The Wrong Time of Year]]'' by [[Robert Kirby]] produced by [[Pieter Toerien]], Monday, November 26th, 1984.
+
''[[The Wrong Time of Year]]'' theatre programme, 1984.
  
−
Return to [[ESAT Personalities K]]
+
 
 +
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Personalities K]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 +
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
Return to [[Main Page]]

Revision as of 11:49, 3 August 2015

KIRBY, Robert. (1936-2007) Satirist, columnist, performer, playwright and director. Satirical writer of revues and plays.

Biography

Kirby was born in Durban and educated there and in Kimberley.

Born 26 April 1936, died February 2007 at the age of 70. (Sunday Times 18 February 2007).


Youth

Training

He studied music at the University of Cape Town.

Career

He joined the SABC as an announcer/producer. He worked after that in London for the BBC in both radio and television and came back to South Africa and to the SABC as a drama producer. His early morning programmes in the late 60's are well remembered.

His satirical prose works and particularly his newspapers columns over the years have been most popular.


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

In the 1960s and 1970s he wrote and performed in numerous sparkling revues, including Eight Birds (19**), Eight Beasts (19

He was the co-founder and director, with Michael Lovegrove, of the Eight Beasts Theatre Company in Cape Town and Johannesburg.

He wrote Finger Trouble in 1968; 8 Birds at the Labia Theatre in 1970; The Receiver of Revenue Show (Brooke Theatre, circa Nov 1973; The Dot-Dash Show , 1975; How Now, Sacred Cow? , 1977; Quodlibet, 1978; Separate Development, 1980; It's a Boy! , 1982; The Wrong Time of Year , 1984; Brave New Pretoria, 1984; The Bijers Sunbird, 1986; While Stocks Last, 1991.

His revue Brave New Pretoria (1984) has been critically acclaimed as his best.

Together with Terry Lester he presented Academy Rewards at the Academy Theatre in 1981.

He contributed to Graffiti 84, the Momentum Theatre’s first production in 1984.


Awards, etc

He won the Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for Best New Indigenous Script for While Stocks Last (1991).


Sources

Tucker, 1997.

The Wrong Time of Year theatre programme, 1984.


Go to ESAT Bibliography


Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities K

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

Retrieved from "https://esat.sun.ac.za/index.php?title=Robert_Kirby&oldid=87939"