- Angelique Rockas, South African born Greek actress single handed founded Internationalist Theatre starting as New Theatre, then New Internationalist Theatre, one of the the first theatre companies in 1981 in London to present great European classics like Genet's 'The Balcony ', Brecht's 'Mother Courage ' , Griselda Gambaro's The Camp , Pirandello's ' Liola ' directed and translated by Fabio Perselli with multi-racial and multi-national casts, which discombobulated some UK critics. Multi-racial casts with non-caucasian accents in drama classics were something unknown in the UK at the time. Athol Fugard was a patron. She had started a revolution. Great classical parts played include Medea at Theatro Technis, 'Miss Julie' with her own company Internationalist Theatre, a production which earned the praise of being the best production of this play of the past decade, Lady Macbeth, Tatiana in 'Enemies' by Gorky and to which Angelique invited the London cultural ataché of the then Soviet Union. They all came : a practice in glasnost pre- Gorbachev. Angelique has an honours degree in English Literature and a major in Philosophy from Wits University, Johannesburg, was an anti-apartheid activist, studied Acting at Cape Town University. Started an MA thesis on restoration comedy(unfinished) with the University of South Africa where she obtained a Post-graduate Teaching Diploma in English Literature and Drama. She is multi-lingual: English, Greek, Afrikaans, French, and pigeon Italian. Has her own film company Contemtptus Mundi Films and has written the film script 'Ayoni and Ismeta' set in the troubled Balkans. Has made films with Peter Hyams , Nicolas Roeg, Costas Ferris in Greece , as well as the lead TV role in 'Idees Fixees' directed by the well known Greek film director Theodoros Maragos. Turns down work all the time: they must be projects with some honour. The great Derek Jarman asked her to participate in 2 of his films that failed to find funding. . Her championing of Latin America drama like The Camp led to an interview with Vogue Mexico. Her first production of Ford's 'Tis Pity She's a Whore' with New Theatre is listed in Mark Wiggins book on 'John Ford' as one of the major productions of this play in the decade of the 1980s in the 20th century. Author: Sonia Hopkins
- IMDb mini biography by: Sonia Hopkins
- Was offered to repeat her role of Medea at Theatro Petra, Athens by the great Greek director Minos Volanakis.
- Has had personal interviews with the legendary Italian film director Michelangelo Antonioni in his apartment in Via Tiberio, and with Lina Wertmüller the first woman director to win an Oscar ,in Piazza Principeassa Clothilde in Roma.
- Up until 2018 Angelique was the only actress in the UK of mainland Greek parentage who has worked in the Greek language in mainland Greece, in Greek Television, and in Greek films.
- Angelique was asked by the renowned Greek film director Pantelis Voulgaris of the Brides (2004) fame to find funding for Elia Kazan's last film project about Kazan's family immigration from the beleaguered Greek minority communities under Turkish rule in Asia Minor to the USA where the Kazan family settled. Angelique arranged a meeting between the London based film financier Frixos Constantini of Poseidon Films and Mr Kazan at the Grand Bretagne Hotel in Athens.
- When considering who to choose as director for the play El Campo, Angelique in her naivety turned down the 21 year old Deborah Warner, who became the great director Deborah Warner. Deborah Warner had been suggested to her by Julia Pascal.
- I was baptised after my paternal grandmother in a Greek Orthodox Church with the name of 'Angeliki' - simple and mellifluous, and meaning heavenly messenger.
- The breaking of casting clichés also broke boundaries.A short Latin- looking actress like me playing classical roles such as Miss Julie , and playing them well, made casting directors uncomfortable.
- My grandmother was a fearless Greek warrioress, and very protective of her land. She literally ordered some Nazi soldiers to get off one of her fields, pointing a gun at them.
- Where does one begin to express what I consider to be my Greek heritage and the awe that I feel for its magnificence?
- A great play that deals with the perennial concerns of people can come from anywhere, can be spoken with any accent, and can be played by actors of any colour.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
