Bitter Winter with Paul Slabolepszy

PAUL SLABOLEPSZY Born in Bolton, England, Paul emigrated to South Africa at the age of two. He attended the University of Cape Town, earning a BA in Drama. As a founder member of South Africa's first non-racial theatre company, The Space (1972), alongside Athol Fugard, John Kani, and Yvonne Bryceland, Paul played a pivotal role in shaping the country's theatre landscape. He later co-founded the renowned Market Theatre Company in Johannesburg in 1976 with Mannie Manim and Barney Simon. Paul's accolades include the Standard Bank Young Artist of the Year Award in 1983 and the Naledi Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023, recognizing his profound contribution to South African theatre. With over 100 stage and TV plays, as well as 15 feature films under his belt, Paul has established himself as a versatile actor. Notable roles include Frederick Courtney Selous in "Rhodes" (BBC) and Jan Christiaan Smuts in "The Apprenticeship of a Mahatma." He was nominated for Best Actor in a South African Feature Film for "Mr. Johnson" in 2021. On stage, Paul has garnered numerous awards for performances in productions such as "Death of a Salesman," "Sweet Bird of Youth," and "The Return of Elvis du Pisaníe," for which he became the first actor in South Africa to win every Best Actor Award nationwide in a single year (1993). As a playwright, Paul has written over 35 plays, with seven world premieres at the Market Theatre. His notable works include "Saturday Night at the Palace," which performed at London's Old Vic Theatre in 1984, and "Mooi Street Moves," which was invited to festivals in Germany and Denmark. His plays have garnered numerous awards, including several Vita, Fleur du Cap, and Dalro Best Play Awards. Some notable screenplays include adaptations of his plays "Saturday Night at the Palace" and "Heel Against the Head," as well as original works like "Swansong for Charlie" and "Running Riot."