Maralin Vanrenen receives lifetime achievement award for exceptional contribution to the entertainment industry
March 2013 – Notable South African actress and doyenne of the theatre industry, Maralin Vanrenen, was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for her 30 years of exceptional contribution to film, television and theatre, presented to her at the 2013 South African Film and Television Association’s Awards (SAFTAs) on Saturday, 16 March.
UCT trained Maralin started her career as an actress at the original Space Theatre Company alongside stage legends Athol Fugard and Yvonne Bryceland. It was exciting and dangerous times in the face of a ban on people of colour gracing our stages during the dark days of Apartheid. This was also the very place where world respected actors and writers such as John Kani and Winston Ntshona, for example, wrote and performed plays such as ‘Sizwe Banzi is Dead’, first enacted in 1972.
Through the years, Maralin has played many leading roles in various disciplines such as Shakespeare, Farce, Drama, Cabaret, Musicals and Experimental Theatre, which is where her instincts for writing emerged. Having written and directed a number of hugely successful plays such as the smash rock musical hit ‘Flashin Trash’ and the nuclear nightmare musical ‘Up ‘n Atom’, Maralin also directed and co-wrote ‘Have you seen Zandile’ – with the two starring actresses Gcina Mlope and Thembi Mtshali – which went on to win Best Production at the much coveted Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1987.
Who can forget other highlights of Maralin’s career such as the Janice Joplin Show and Nelson Mandela’s 85th Birthday song ‘Happy, happy birthday Madiba’, both performed by PJ Powers.
With numerous awards and accolades across many disciplines over a number of years, and having directed various international hits like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, CATS and Chicago, Maralin has proved herself a world-class leader and completely worthy of the highest accolade.
But the best news yet is that with her famous sense of humour she has remained humble and self-effacing, openly sharing her energy that people in the industry have come to love and enjoy. Long may she produce content to captivate and engage audiences both here and abroad.
