Industry Legends

Sitting opposite Ofer Lapid at one his favourite restaurants in Johannesburg, The Schwarma Company in Norwood, it is easy to tell how his zealous spirit has led Gearhouse South Africa to be recognized as a world-wide phenomenon. Gearhouse South Africa walked away with the Favourite International Production Company of the

How much water has gone under the bridge in the South African theatre industry. Back in the day, you could start off as an usher and climb the ladder to become one of the country’s top lighting designer… one only has to think of legendry Mannie Manim who started his

With R20 in his Perm bank account, two bags of clothes and his friend, Elkie van Zyl – a former colleague at the South African Police Force – Mike Jones left Natal’s South Coast in the pursuit of greener pastures in Johannesburg. Arriving in an aged Datsun bakkie, Elkie’s windsurfer

With R20 in his Perm bank account, two bags of clothes and his friend, Elkie van Zyl – a former colleague at the South African Police Force – Mike Jones left Natal’s South Coast in the pursuit of greener pastures in Johannesburg. Arriving in an aged Datsun bakkie, Elkie’s windsurfer

“To find the enigma of Michael Broderick, you have to peel away layers. Each time you meet him, you chip away until you find the real person. He is gentle, warm and thoughtful. He is very philosophical. He is a cook though a nutcase! You look at him and want

Since this write-up appeared a few years ago, Kurt du Preez has established Pan Tilt. His details are below. “This is life,” says Kurt du Preez. “You have plans and then off you are sent to the army, chucked on a train to Grahamstown, and once there, you start running

09 March 1929 – 11 June 2013 Thank you to Claire Robins who sent us this biography, written and published by the Events & Installations magazine in Vol. 18 2004 c.) An Eventful Life Born in Sydney Australia on March 25th 1929, Kevin was attracted to the world of theatre

When Kevin Glover decided to study law at the University of the Witwatersrand (WITS), it was in a way to appease his parents. He also was battling to find something that encompassed electronics and music, two of his passions. Both parties knew this. Since school days, he was involved in

  Zimbabwean born Remember Chaitezvi has a dream to build an online educational platform for up-and-coming audio engineers, especially those living in remote countries within Africa who don’t have access to training facilities. He defeated all odds to become a prominent and vibrant audio engineer on the African continent and

John Harrison, (together with his partner in Southern Lighting, Robin Wilter) who has worked on most anti apartheid films created in and out of South Africa, thought it somewhat unusual when technicians arrived at his office in Auckland Park to repair the telex machine, particularly as the telex machine was

James Harden left sunny South Africa in 2001 and is the General Manager at Bandit Lights, London branch. We asked him a few questions and enjoyed reading his feedback. Save As PDF

  If there is a lighting designer in South Africa, someone who has stood the test of time, someone who has influenced lives and who, still is passionate about lighting design, it would be Gerda Kruger. Gerda has done tremendous work at the Breytenbach Theatre encouraging students and is also

Tony Reade, the founder of Rigging SA, has enjoyed a colourful career, enriched by working with influential and hardworking people. Rigging SA is well known for supplying reliable riggers and quality film rigging equipment but it’s super special to look back to where it all started. You’ll certainly recognize some

One tends to get a warm, fuzzy feeling when meeting up with Helen Surgeson. It’s a rare quality because even if you do not know her that well, it’s like having a sister in the industry, one whom you respect. Helen has worked on spectacular musicals, successfully tried her hand

Enter Gavin Olivier and you’ll immediately set him apart even if you’ve never met. He’ll be the guy dressed casually yet with flair, and if you are meeting to do an installation over a weekend, you can trust Gavin to bring along the croissants and most certainly hot, strong coffee.

When you’re a young twenty-something and a risk is more like an adventure than something to be feared, then anything can happen. And it certainly did for Donald Clark, owner of C & S, who through the years has pioneered through a tough Cape Town industry to come out tops with regards to

Independent, honest, straight down the line and a gentleman through and through are words that describe eminent lighting designer Denis Hutchinson, known as “Hutch” by his friends. He was schooled in South Africa and his interest lay from aeronautic engineering to psychology. “The thing I never thought of was probably

There is a respect within theatre circles for Debra Batzofin, affectionately known as “Miss B”. She may prefer not to be centre stage, but her strong and perfectionist presence ensures that everything on and off stage runs impeccably. The saying “dynamite comes in small packages” couldn’t be more appropriate. Save

09-11-1969 to 20-11-2008 It has been our intention to include Danie De Jager on Industry Legends for quite some time now. This passionate man had a colourful and vibrant story to tell. We are sorry that it’s at this sad time of saying good-bye that we finally get to share

Neil Daniel Riley (Dan) comes from an era were one of his first salary cheques, or better put, salary envelopes for the week ending 15 January 1959 was to the value of ?3.56! At the time he was employed by electrical contractors, P.G.M. Magnusson, where he was completing his electrician

Costa Champanis from Ultra Sound was born and bread in Stellenbosch, in the Cape wine-lands. He went to Rhenish Primary School and thereafter moved to Paul Roos Gymnasium. Here he excelled in hockey, cricket, and karate; he achieved regional and provincial distinctions; academically he was an average student, he laughs,

We know Claire Robins as the person behind Events and Installations, a magazine covering the South African entertainment and events industry news. Her life in theatre, however, has been remarkable and you may just look at Claire with different eyes when hearing her story….. if only we could write a

There’s no arguing that Christiaan Ballot is too young to be an Industry Legend, but here’s a young man who just proves that a bit of drive and initiative, mixed with an enormous amount of passion, is the combination to success and fulfilment. Living his dream at the age of

On a cold, wet and windy night standing in a queue for curry and red wine at midnight at a building called The Old Gaol, the second oldest building in Grahamstown and until vacated in 1975, the oldest functioning prison in South Africa, Sue Clarence and a friend patiently waited.

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  If he was not wearing a helmet, Andrew Muller, owner of Custom Gobos would have the wind in his hair delivering gobos on his motorbike and a typical onlooker may think, “Now there’s someone who’s got it made.” With hardly any competition, it would appear that Andrew is in