By Dan Brotman
The Jewish community of South Africa was deeply impacted by the kidnapping, robbery and murder of Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom in Cape Town on 16 April, 2006. Their killing took place just days before 28 year-old Goldin was due to depart for England to perform in the Baxter Theatre’s production of Hamlet, which was chosen for the opening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Complete Works Festival.
Following the young actor’s death, the Brett Goldin Bursary was established in 2007 through the generosity of Sir Antony Sher, Dame Janet Suzman, Dorothy-Anne Gould and two theatre companies. Every two years, the bursary sends two South African actors between the ages of 20 and 30 to the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon for a month of training.
During their stay in England, the recipients are based in the Artist Development Department, where they fine-tune their acting skills through observation, discussion with personnel working in production, press and casting departments and through contact with other actors, directors and members of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
The Cape Board recently lent its moral support to Brett’s mother Denise, when Nurshad Davids, who was convicted for armed robbery, hi-jacking and kidnapping in the 2006 murders, applied for and was eventually denied parole. Media & Diplomatic Liaison Dan Brotman attended the award ceremony on behalf of the Cape Board.
Of this year’s 60 applicants, 17 were shortlisted and took part in the three-day audition process at the Baxter Theatre Centre, with the four finalists performing Shakespeare monologues at the ceremony before the two winners were announced.
This year’s judging panel comprised of Baxter Associate Producer Nicolette Moses, award-winning actor Thamo Mbongo, director Geoffrey Hyland, Baxter CEO Lara Foot and theatre stalwart Dorothy-Anne Gould. Denise joined the last round to select the final two winners.
At the end of the ceremony, Denise announced that this year’s winners are Nkosinathi Gaar (26) from Johannesburg and Timothy Redpath (28) from Kwazulu-Natal, “My family and I are deeply honoured that Brett’s memory continues to be upheld with the incredible success of this unique opportunity and it has been a joy to see how it has benefited the young actors who have been through the programme.
Besides enhancing their own performances these actors have brought back to South Africa their passion for Shakespeare and positively used this to encourage and inspire upcoming actors to share their love of Shakespeare.”
2012 Brett Goldin Bursary FLTR Director Janice Honeyman, Denise Goldin, actress Sabine Palfi, SAJBD Media & Diplomatic Liaison Dan Brotman.jpg
