Tom Lanoye

From ESAT
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Tom Lanoye (1958-). Poet, novelist, performer and playwright.

Biography

Born in Sint-Niklaas, Northern Belgium, he started his career as a performer in cafés and as the publisher of his own poems. He has since become one of the most well-known Flemish writers. In 2003, Lanoye became the first official poet of the city of Antwerp, a posting that was greeted with much public approval. His theatre work includes the voluminous play Ten oorlog! (To War!) , based on Shakespeare's History Plays, Mefisto for Ever and Mamma Medea, an adaptation of Euripides' classic Medea.

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

The last named has been translated into Afrikaans by Antjie Krog and was produced in South Africa by Marthinus Basson; an endeavour that articulates Lanoye's fascination with the themes of language and multiculturalism.

In October/November 2006 he and the Afrikaans performance poet Antjie Krog, undertook a combined stage tour of Flanders, the Netherlands and South Africa. It was a dynamic two-hander performance, focusing on language linkages, which received excellent reviews and was a continuation of earlier instances of collaboration between the two artists.

Sources

Beeld, 13 September, 2002.

Rapport, 6 October 2002.

Business Day, 5 March 2003.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities L

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page