Arts & Culture
The origins of theatre in South Africa owe much to the presence of enterprising Jewish immigrants to the country. Perhaps the most well-known is the Stodel family.
Harry Stodel came to Johannesburg in 1889 from England, where he worked in a cigar factory. Gifted a good singing voice, he also sang for a London synagogue choir and performed in music halls as and when the opportunity arose. On hearing about the gold rush in South Africa, he immigrated here, hoping to make his fortune from gold.
Stodel opened a theatre in Johannesburg called the Gaiety. His business model proved successful: he employed local actors and so could keep ticket prices considerably lower than what other theatres were charging. They employed artists from overseas, and so their costs were much higher, resulting in higher ticket prices. In the late 1890s, Harry Stodel took over the Royal Theatre, running it successfully until the start of the Angle-Boer War in 1899.
Like many other people, Harry Stodel felt vulnerable in a Johannesburg dominated by Boers, especially after being captured by a Boer commando, so he relocated to Cape Town. Initially, he made a living by manufacturing cigars, and through bookmaking. In 1910, he bought the Tivoli Music Hall in Darling Street. In addition to this theatre, he acquired the Gaiety Theatre in Oudtshoorn.
This was also a period in which the silent movie became popular, and Harry created a company for the distribution of these films. He was able to provide these films to numerous venues both inside South Africa and beyond.
The next big move for Harry Stodel was the purchase of the Alhambra Theatre in St George’s Street. A particularly impressive feature of this Theatre was its sliding roof – geared to provide relief during hot nights. And, to enhance the silent film experience, Harry brought in an orchestra.
Later, Harry joined JW Schlesinger at the African Films Trust, an initiative geared to make the distribution of films more efficient. Harry’s son, Jim, followed him into the film distribution business, working in theatre management and film distribution. A major achievement in Jim’s career was his appointment as General Manager of African Consolidated Theatres Ltd. Subsequent appointments include heading up Fox Theatres of SA, Chairman of Kinekor, and Director
of Ster-Kinekor.
Another of Harry Stodel’s sons, Jack, also joined the film and catering businesses that Harry had set up. He furthered the film business in Cape Town, with the establishment of several cinemas in the city.
The origins of ballet performances in Cape Town can be traced to Jack Stodel. He opened the Alhambra Theatre to the first ballet shows in 1939, and this eventually led to the creation of the Cape Town Ballet Club.
Jack became a public feature of the entertainment world during the Second World War and post-War years, as the front face of the Schlesinger Organisation. In this role, he met numerous international stars, including Vivien Leigh, Artur Rubinstein, Maurice Chevalier and Yehudi Menuhin.
DO YOU REMEMBER ANY OF THESE CINEMAS ESTABLISHED BY JACK STODEL?
• The Colosseum
• The Van Riebeeck
• The Scala
• The Bijou
• The Empire
• The Gem
• The Roxy
Read more about Jack Stodel’s exciting and colourful life. His memoir, The Audience is Waiting, is available from the Jacob Gitlin Library.
Read more here: The Stodel tradition lives on
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