Roy Hart

Infobox Person
name = Roy Hart


image_size = 297px
caption = Roy Hart rehearsing The Economist, 1975
birth_date = October 30, 1926
birth_place = flagicon|South Africa Johannesburg, South Africa
death_date = May 18, 1975 (age 49)
death_place = flagicon|France Nice, France
occupation = Actor and singer
spouse =
religion =
nationality =

Roy Hart (born on Oct. 30th, 1926, died May 18th 1975) was an actor from South Africa at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. He was a pupil of Alfred Wolfsohn's for many years and then furthered the work on voice after Wolfsohn's death. Hart's vocal range and virtuosity led composers (Stockhausen, Henze, Peter Maxwell Davies, et al.) to write musical works specifically for his voice. Hart founded the Roy Hart Theatre in 1968 and developed the Roy Hart Theatre approach, which is still taught and practised in the south of France at Malérargues and around the world today.

Background

Hart was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1926. He studied psychology and English at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where he emerged as a gifted actor, and gained a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. At R.A.D.A. he was a successful student, yet felt "that the characters I performed so convincingly were merely figments of my imagination . . . something was lacking". His chance meeting with Alfred Wolfsohn was decisive, he abandoned a promising career in 'West-End' theatre to study with Wolfsohn, and did not perform in public for the next seventeen years. He emerged in 1969 to a period of intense international artistic and psycho-therapeutic activity, including solo performances in Henze's "Versuch über Schweine", Peter Maxwell Davies's "Eight Songs for a Mad King", Stockhausen's "Spirale" and Euripedes's "The Bacchae" performed with his own company. He was a guest speaker at psycho-therapeutic and theatre congresses throughout the world; Jerzy Grotowski and Peter Brook held discussions with him in his studio in London. In 1972, he began to perform as an actor with his own company which at that time had grown to more than forty members. The Theatre company took up residence in the south of France in 1974. Roy Hart died in a car accident while on tour in May 1975.

Early Life

*30 Oct 1926: Roy Hart is born, as Reuben Hartstein, to Polish-Lithuanian parents in Johannesburg, South Africa. Has an Orthodox Jewish education. Feels he never makes friends easily. Studies English, history of music, philosophy and psychology at Witwatersrand University, Johannesburg

*1946: Performs “Peer Gynt” in a University production to much acclaim. Has a conflict between his innate desire to go on stage and his families’ Rabbinical origin so decides to leave South Africa.

*May 1947: Joins Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, as a scholarship student, using the name Royden Hart.

The Wolfsohn period

*5th June 1947: Meets Alfred Wolfsohn “a man who I feel has the ability to bring out the very best in me. … He is indubitably the finest thing that has happened in my life”. (Quotes from RH’s diary) “He accepted me just the way I was.” His work with AW creates problems with his RADA work, he has to abandon the Word for the Sound. RADA scoffs that he is losing himself.

*1949: Graduates from RADA , his report says “A good voice but is inclined to over-voice… He deserved his free fee place.” (The Director)

*1950s: As Alfred Wolfsohn is ill, Roy takes on some of the teaching of other students. Roy gives vocal demonstrations to experts in music or theatre: Menuhin, Laurence Olivier, Peter Ustinov. In contact with C.G. Jung. Creates interest but little action.

*1960: Works at Shenley, a psychiatric hospital in London, to research the healing power of the voice. Over the years, he maintains a link with the psychotherapeutic world by taking part in several World Congresses. Roy, with other students, help to nurse AW through his final illness.

*1962: Alfred Wolfsohn dies and after much thought, Roy creates a group from his own students and those of AW’s wishing to continue.

*1964: Documentary film made of the group (available on DVD "Theatre of Being"). Peter Brook, Jerzy Grotowski and R.D. Laing visit the studio.

The Roy Hart Theatre

*1967: The Roy Hart Speakers become the Roy Hart Theatre. Work begins on the “Bacchae”, performed at the Festival of Nancy in 1969. Also the year of Roy’s solo in Stockhausen’s “Spirale” and Peter Maxwell Davies’ “Eight Songs for a Mad King”.

*1971: Roy performs Hans Werner Henze’s “Versuch über Schweine”. The Theatre performs “The Singer and the Song”, pieces exploring sound and movement only, later invited as “And” to the Théâtre des Nations, Paris, by Jean-Louis Barrault in 1972. Roy performs his solo “Biodrame” by Serge Béhar.

*1973: With a return to the word, RHT performs “Mariage de Lux”* by Serge Béhar (in French) and “Ich Bin” by Paul Pörtner (in German) in London. House hunting begins with the idea of the group living and working together.

*1974: Château de Malérargues is discovered offering correct facilities and good access for travel around Europe. In July, the move begins with the first seven members leaving London. The rewriting begins of Serge Béhar’s “Café de Flora” renamed “l’Economiste”.

*1975: Roy Hart arrives at Malérargues in February. Rehearsals begin in earnest, interspersed with local performances of songs, hymns and texts in the Protestant churches of the region. First performance of “L’Economiste” in Alès in April. Late April, Roy and the cast leave on tour. On 18th May, after performances in Austria and en route for Spain, Roy Hart, Dorothy Hart and Vivienne Young are killed in a fatal car crash near Nice. A few days later, they are buried in Malérargues.

References

* [http://www.roy-hart.com Roy Hart Theatre archives]
* [http://www.roy-hart-theatre.com Roy Hart Theatre centre in Malérargues]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Voices-Genesis-Theatre-Africa/dp/1882670191/ Dark Voices: The Genesis of Roy Hart Theatre, a book by Noah Pikes]

ources

This page was created from material taken from the [http://www.roy-hart.com Roy Hart Theatre archives] , with authorization.