Marthinus Basson
Marthinus Basson started his theatrical career in the 1970s at the Cape Performing Arts Board and as actor-cum-stage-manager at The Space Theater, in Cape Town, South Africa. Since 1985 he has established himself as a director/designer and has worked in many theatrical genres. His recent work includes Waarom Is Die Wat Voor Toyi-Toyi Altyd So Vet? by Antjie Krog; Johnny Cockroach by Breyten Breytenbach; Fall Of The House Of Usher and Boks for ARCA in Gent, Belgium; six operas for the Spier Summer Festival; a contemporary interpretation of Shakespeare’s Two Gentlemen Of Verona for the 2002/2003 Maynardville season in Cape Town; and Maria de Buenos Aires for the 2004 National Arts Festival in Grahamstown. Basson, who lectures in the drama department at Stellenbosch University, serves on the committee of the National Arts Festival. He is also a founder of Vleis, Rys & Aartappels, a theater venture focusing on new writing, staging contemporary international work, performance art, and community work. As part of this venture, he directed and designed two new plays by Belgian playwrights in 2003: Aars! By Peter Verhelst and Mamma Medea by Tom Lanoye.