Irene was
born and educated in Roodepoort before studying drama at Witwatersrand University
where she completed her degree in 1983. Thereafter, she began to bring together her political consciousness and the
experience of growing up in a South African Greek community in the creation of
her own unique blend of story telling. Thee
successful one woman plays followed – “Stukkie Jols”, directed by school friend
Peni Flascas, “Is Every Sperm Sacred”
and “Meze, Mira and Makeup”, both directed by friend and long standing collaborator,
Vanessa Cooke.
“Meze, Mira and Makeup”, an exploration of growing up as a girl with Greek parents played to widespread acclaim throughout South Africa and in Greece and Australia, winning Irene 5 Vita nominations
Throughout this period, Irene maintained an association with the Market Theatre, and in particular with the Laboratory, developing and teaching the course ‘Theatre and Life’ to generations of young students drawn from township communities. Many of these students are now actively employed in the highly developed theatre, film and television industry which has emerged from the ground breaking anti-apartheid work of the Market.
Expanding her repertoire as a playwright, the Market Theatre premiered Acropolis Café, in which Vanessa Cook and Robert Whitehead played owners of a Greek Café, capturing a fast dying but critical piece of the social history and development of South Africa. This partially autobiographical drama has been regularly reprised as a radio play.
At the same time, she and Leila Henriques edited the coffee table book The World in an Orange: Creating Theatre with Barney Simon with Leila Henriques, a tribute to the founder of the Market Theatre, Barney Simon. The book, which brings together performance photographs and interviews with 80 theatre figures who worked with Barney, is still the only comprehensive insight into a drama method and style of work which brought South African theatre international recognition and gave the Market a world reputation.
Recently, Irene has been devoting time to speaking publicly about Multiple Sclerosis, an affliction that she has had since she was a teenager. In December 2012, she recevied her Postgraduate diploma in the Arts (Drama). She is presently working on a series of new pieces.
Much of her career has been an exploration of the Greek immigrant community, providing a catharsis for those who are part of it, a humane insight into it for those who are not, and an affirmation of its place as an authentic strand of the new South Africa.
“Meze, Mira and Makeup”, an exploration of growing up as a girl with Greek parents played to widespread acclaim throughout South Africa and in Greece and Australia, winning Irene 5 Vita nominations
Throughout this period, Irene maintained an association with the Market Theatre, and in particular with the Laboratory, developing and teaching the course ‘Theatre and Life’ to generations of young students drawn from township communities. Many of these students are now actively employed in the highly developed theatre, film and television industry which has emerged from the ground breaking anti-apartheid work of the Market.
Expanding her repertoire as a playwright, the Market Theatre premiered Acropolis Café, in which Vanessa Cook and Robert Whitehead played owners of a Greek Café, capturing a fast dying but critical piece of the social history and development of South Africa. This partially autobiographical drama has been regularly reprised as a radio play.
At the same time, she and Leila Henriques edited the coffee table book The World in an Orange: Creating Theatre with Barney Simon with Leila Henriques, a tribute to the founder of the Market Theatre, Barney Simon. The book, which brings together performance photographs and interviews with 80 theatre figures who worked with Barney, is still the only comprehensive insight into a drama method and style of work which brought South African theatre international recognition and gave the Market a world reputation.
Recently, Irene has been devoting time to speaking publicly about Multiple Sclerosis, an affliction that she has had since she was a teenager. In December 2012, she recevied her Postgraduate diploma in the Arts (Drama). She is presently working on a series of new pieces.
Much of her career has been an exploration of the Greek immigrant community, providing a catharsis for those who are part of it, a humane insight into it for those who are not, and an affirmation of its place as an authentic strand of the new South Africa.