Brian Astbury

Brian Astbury (14 November 1941 – 5 March 2020) was a South African photographer, theatre director, acting and writing teacher, and founder of The Space Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa.

Early life

Brian Astbury was born on 14 November 1941 and grew up in the South African town of Paarl. He briefly studied librarianship at the University of Cape Town before abandoning the course. He then worked as a photographer for Capab, the Cape Province's performing arts organisation. Based in an old workshop, the theatre was able to operate with a non-racial audience because a membership was required to watch the performances at the club. This was closely followed by other Fugard plays Sizwe Banzi is Dead in 1972 and The Island in 1973.

Other playwrights whose careers started at The Space, included Fatima Dike, Geraldine Aron and Paul Slabolepszy.

He moving to London in 1979 with Bryceland he became an influential theatre teacher at Lamda, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and East 15 acting schools. Yvonne Bryceland died in 1992; the couple had two daughters.