Sylvaine Strike
{{Short description|South African actress, writer and theatre director}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Use South African English|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Sylvaine Strike
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| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa
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| alma_mater = University of Cape Town
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| awards = Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres (2019)
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Sylvaine Strike is a South African actress, writer and theatre director based in Cape Town, South Africa. She is the co-founder of Fortune Cookie Theatre, and has won multiple Naledi Theatre awards for her acting and directing. In 2018 Strike was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres.
Early life
Strike was born in Pretoria to French-speaking parents, and grew up in Verwoerdburg.{{Cite web |last=Bain |first=Keith |date=2023-09-26 |title=Booker Prize-winning ‘The Promise’ reimagined for stage |url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-26-striking-the-right-tone-booker-prize-winning-novel-the-promise-reimagined-for-stage/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=Daily Maverick |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Sassen |first=Robyn |date=2019-03-31 |title=Sylvaine Strike knighted by the French |url=https://robynsassenmyview.com/2019/03/31/strike-honoured-cultures-bridged/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=My View by Robyn Sassen and other writers |language=en-GB}} She studied at the University of Cape Town and graduated with a degree in drama in 1993. Strike studied further from 1998 to 2000 in Paris at Jacques LeCoq School where she completed a two-year diploma with a focus in mime and clown.{{Cite web|date=2020-03-31|title=Sylvaine Strike receives France's top cultural award|url=https://za.ambafrance.org/Sylvaine-Strike-receives-France-s-top-cultural-award|access-date=2020-06-25|website=French Embassy in South Africa {{!}} Ambassade de France en Afrique du Sud|language=en}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2ClBCgAAQBAJ|title=The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary South African Theatre|publisher=Bloomsbury|year=2015|isbn=978-1-4081-7671-9|editor-last=Middeke|editor-first=Martin|pages=81|editor-last2=Schnierer|editor-first2=Peter Paul|editor-last3=Homann|editor-first3=Greg|via=Google Books}}{{Cite journal|last=Morkel|first=Toni|date=2010-01-01|title=An interview with Sylvaine Strike|url=https://doi.org/10.1080/10137548.2010.9687929|journal=South African Theatre Journal|volume=24|issue=1|pages=201–208|doi=10.1080/10137548.2010.9687929|s2cid=178577079|issn=1013-7548|url-access=subscription}}
Career
= Theatre =
Strike is the artistic director of Fortune Cookie Theatre, which she co-founded in 2000.{{Cite web|title=About|url=http://fortunecookietheatre.com/about/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Fortune Cookie Theatre Company|language=en-ZA}} With Fortune Cookie Theatre, Strike has directed such shows as Molière's The Miser (2012) and Tartuffe (2017){{Cite book|last=Krueger|first=Anton|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UC2NDwAAQBAJ|title=The Routledge Companion to Theatre and Politics|publisher=Routledge|year=2019|isbn=978-0-203-73105-5|editor-last=Eckersall|editor-first=Peter|pages=47|chapter=Revolutionary Trends at the South African National Arts Festival|editor-last2=Grehan|editor-first2=Helena}} and the Chekhov-adaptation, Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof (2016).{{Cite web|last=Stones|first=Lesley|date=2016-02-15|title=Review: Tobacco, and the Harmful Effects Thereof|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-02-16-review-tobacco-and-the-harmful-effects-thereof/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Daily Maverick|language=en}} In 2004, Strike co-created the show Black and Blue with other members of Fortune Cookie, which she also starred in. In 2015, Fortune Cookie remounted the production.{{Cite web|last=Taylor|first=Victoria|date=2015-10-01|title=Black and Blue returns to Jozi|url=https://alexnews.co.za/57411/black-and-blue-returns-to-jozi/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Alex News}}
Outside of Fortune Cookie Theatre, Strike has directed shows such as Miss Dietrich Regrets (2015),{{Cite web|last=Sassen|first=Robyn|date=2015-06-16|title=Underneath the star quality of Marlene Dietrich|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2015-06-16-underneath-the-star-quality-of-marlene-dietrich/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=The Mail & Guardian|language=en-ZA}} DOP (2019),{{Cite web|date=2019-12-29|title=DOP, a mesmerising tale of an ordinary man|url=https://bedfordviewedenvalenews.co.za/379386/dop-a-mesmerising-tale-of-an-ordinary-man/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Bedfordview Edenvale News}} and ECLIPSED (2019).{{Cite web|last=BWW News Desk|date=2019-10-02|title=Mental Health Awareness Takes Centre Stage At The Market Theatre|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/south-africa/article/Mental-Health-Awareness-Takes-Centre-Stage-At-The-Market-Theatre-20191002|access-date=2020-06-25|website=BroadwayWorld.com|language=en}} Strike also assisted in adapting the story of Snow White into Snow White - The Ballet for Joburg Ballet in 2017.{{Cite web|last=Ferreira|first=Pinto|date=2017-09-20|title='Snow White': a ballet spectacle|url=https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/snow-white-a-ballet-spectacle-11287844|access-date=2020-06-25|website=www.iol.co.za|language=en}} In 2023 she worked with Damon Galgut to adapt his novel, The Promise into a stage production.[https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-09-26-striking-the-right-tone-booker-prize-winning-novel-the-promise-reimagined-for-stage/ Striking the right tone — Booker Prize-winning novel ‘The Promise’ reimagined for stage] Daily Maverick. 26 September 2023 In 2024, Strike directed her first musical, Spring Awakening, an adaptation of the 1891 German play Frühlings Erwachen, by Frank Wedekind.{{Cite news |last=Nagel |first=Andrea |date=25 February 2024 |title=When hormones rush in and parents check out |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/lifestyle/2024-02-25-when-hormones-rush-in-and-parents-check-out/ |access-date=1 Jan 2025 |work=Times Live}}
= Film and television =
Strike has appeared in such films as District 9 (2009).{{Cite web|date=2009-08-14|title=District 9|url=https://dove.org/review/7994-district-9/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Dove Family Friendly Movie Reviews|language=en-US}} Strike has had roles on television shows like Those Who Can't,{{Cite web|last=MorneJK|date=2017-03-19|title=Stars descend on SAFTAs red carpet: Here are the winners|url=https://www.jacarandafm.com/news/entertainment/stars-descend-saftas-red-carpet-here-are-winners/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Jacaranda FM}} Black Sails,{{Cite web|date=2020-02-17|title=Julianna Margulies on outbreak thriller The Hot Zone, filmed in SA|url=https://www.screenafrica.com/author/showmax/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Screen Africa|language=en-US}} Mad Dogs, and The Hot Zone.{{Citation|title=The Hot Zone (TV Mini-Series 2019) - IMDb|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4131818/fullcredits|access-date=2020-07-06}}
Awards
Strike was awarded the Rosalie van den Gucht Best New Director in 2004.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} In 2006, Strike was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama. In 2010, she was one of twenty-five nominees for the Rolex Mentor Protégé Arts Initiative.{{Cite web|last=Hoho|first=Busisiwe|date=2020-06-21|title=Sylvaine strikes again with The Butcher Brothers|url=https://www.grocotts.co.za/2010/06/21/sylvaine-strikes-again-with-the-butcher-brothers/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=www.grocotts.co.za}}
Strike won the Fleur du Cap Best Director Theatre Award for her acclaimed production of Samuel Beckett's Endgame for the Baxter Theatre Centre, Cape Town.{{Cite web |last=Eeden |first=Marli van |date=2019-03-15 |title=Director Sylvaine Strike on the success of Endgame at the Fleur du Cap Awards - LitNet |url=https://www.litnet.co.za/director-sylvaine-strike-on-the-success-of-endgame-at-the-fleur-du-cap-awards/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=LitNet - Die boekehuis met baie wonings}} Endgame was also awarded Best Production and Best Actor.
As a performer Strike has won the Naledi Best Actress Award 2004 and 2006 for her roles in Black and Blue and Coupé. She has further been nominated in the Best Director category at the Naledi, Fleur du Cap and Woordfees Awards 2016 for her direction of the critically acclaimed plays Tobacco and Dop. The Miser won her the Naledi Best Director Award 2012{{Cite news |last=May |first=Jackie |date=5 April 2013 |title=MY CULTURAL LIFE: Sylvaine Strike |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2013-04-05-my-cultural-life-sylvaine-strike/ |access-date=1 Jan 2025 |work=Times Live}} and Best Production of a Play 2012.{{Citation needed|date=June 2020}} Strike'sTartuffe in 2018 was awarded best supporting actress for Khutjo Green, best ensemble award and best costume design in the Naledi awards.{{Cite web |last=Admin |first=N. A. F. |date=2018-06-19 |title=Catch Naledi award winners at the Festival |url=https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/news/catch-naledi-winners-at-the-festival/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=National Arts Festival |language=en-GB}}
In 2011, Strike's production of Butcher Brothers was awarded the Naledi Award for Best-Cutting Edge Production.{{Cite web|last=de Beer|first=Diane|date=2011-03-08|title=Top of the theatre charts|url=https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/celebrity-news/local/top-of-the-theatre-charts-1037804|access-date=2020-06-25|website=www.iol.co.za|language=en}} In 2014, Strike was recognized as the Featured Artist at the National Arts Festival in South Africa. As featured artist, Strike worked with the arts festival committee to create a retrospective of her work.{{Cite web|last=SABC News|date=2014-04-04|title=Sylvaine Strike named as the Featured Artist on the 2014 National Arts Festival programme|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfWn0XGyd0o |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/dfWn0XGyd0o |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|access-date=2020-06-24|website=Youtube}}{{cbignore}} Strike was awarded a 2017 SAFTA in the category Best Supporting Actress - TV Comedy for her work on the show Those Who Can't. Strike was nominated for a Kanna Award for her direction of DOP in 2017.{{Cite web|date=2017-04-20|title=A Conversation with Sylvaine Strike|url=https://sarafinamagazine.com/2017/04/20/a-conversation-with-sylvaine-strike/|access-date=2020-06-25|website=Sarafina Magazine|language=en}}
Strike was awarded the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2018 for her contribution to the performing arts.
References
External links
- {{IMDb name|0834501}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Strike, Sylvaine}}
Category:White South African people
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:South African actresses
Category:South African expatriates in France
Category:South African women theatre directors