Reps Theatre Maasdorp Ave / Sam Nujoma St, Harare, Zimbabwe

Adrian Stanley: The passing of a theatrical giant

When Adrian Stanley died peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Thursday morning, he quite obviously left a noticeable gap in the world of theatre in Zimbabwe, but he also left a legacy of theatrical genius that has been passed on to a large number of people not only in this country but all over the world, performers as well as audiences.

For nearly 50 years he was Zimbabwe's 'Mr Theatre' and his name was synonymous with the highest standards of presentation on the Reps stage. He had retired from active directorial work in recent years, but as recently as May this year he had an influence in some of the work being presented by Reps Theatre, which grew under his firm grip into one of the finest homes of art and entertainment in Africa.

As Reps' Director of Productions he masterminded hundreds of successful plays and musical shows and he worked with many of the finest actors and actresses in this country. He brought many aspiring performers onto the stage, nurtured backstage talent and by his staging of successful and acclaimed productions brought theatre into the lives of countless numbers of people from all walks of life.

Born and educated in the United Kingdom, he trained in the theatre and was active as a director for many years before he was invited to central Africa to adjudicate at a theatre festival in Zambia in the late 1950s. He was invited to Harare just after this and he directed his first production for the Repertory Players at that time.

Several years later he was back, invited after much debate and discussion among the members of the non-professional society to become its Director of Productions, a resident and full-time director tasked with bring stability, continuity and enormous creativity into the theatre. Under his guiding hand some of the most successful Reps productions in its 75-year history were created and staged - among them hits like Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar and the popular annual farces which opened on New Year's Eve and ran into the first few weeks of each year.

In an interview in 2005 he said: "I was told I would like it in this part of the world so the planned short trip for the adjudication would be an enjoyable one ... little did I know that this short trip would become a turning point and that this pleasant temporary venue would become my home for the rest of my life."

In the same interview he said it would be impossible to say which was his favourite production as "there were so many of them and all of them wonderful to have been from my point of view." He praised the huge pool of talent that has always existed in this country and in particular he made mention of some of his favourite actors and actresses - Pauline Bailey, Naomi Buch, Penny Culverhouse, Geoffrey Atkins and John Keeling, household names in theatre, radio and television for many years. For many of them he was affectionately known as 'Dad.'

"I shall perhaps be best remembered for my comedies and that will be good, because I so enjoyed them and I know so many people did, too, because they told me so," he said.

His contribution to Reps was monumental and his influence on theatre, performance and presentation will remain not in Reps but elsewhere in local theatre for many years to come. He will be remembered by theatre-goers as the thorough professional, bringing to the stage productions that would fit comfortably and without negative critical comment on any stage anywhere in the world.
Above all, he brought to the lives of many people a mix of emotions that result from art and entertainment - all of them combining to provide enjoyment or satisfaction or interest or a lingering sense of remembrance.

During the coming week the Reps family in Harare will pay tribute to him in many ways, not in the least by the final week's run of the successful and popular Sister Action, which is not a production with which he was in any way involved, except perhaps that it is directed by one of the younger generation of performers whom he so loved, admired and enjoyed working with and helping - Debbie Fleming.

NOTE: A further obituary of the late Adrian Stanley appeared in The Guardian newspaper.

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