RU Drama Department celebrates the following achievements at Grahamstown National Arts Festival 2016:

HOD of Drama, Professor Gary Gordon, was awarded the prestigious ‘standing ovation’ award at this year’s National Arts Festival for his life time achievements in fostering contemporary dance and physical theatre in South Africa. The Standing Ovation awards honour significant individuals for their life long contributions to the performing arts. Gary is the second Rhodes Drama staff to receive this award – Professor Andrew Buckland received the standing ovation in  2013.

Gary Gordon, the “father of South African physical theatre”, was presented with a Standard Bank Standing Ovation Award at a reception held at the Monument in Grahamstown on Friday, in honour of his “longstanding creative energy in South Africa’s cultural life and his enormously significant contributions to the vitality of the National Arts Festival’s Main, Fringe and Arena programmes”.

The citation was presented by Artistic Director Ismail Mahomed.