When Setlhabi Taunyane’s theatre troupe came to Toronto from South Africa during apartheid in 1978, all eight members elected to apply for asylum in Canada. Taunyane completed his immigration examination, and his application was successful. Taunyane spent the next decade and a half acting on the stage in Canada.
His performance in the 1994 production of “Survival!” at the Helen Gardiner Playhouse was reviewed in the Toronto Star, whose critic noted the “fine comedy and poignancy” of Taunyane’s performance.
By the mid-1990s, apartheid restrictions had lifted, and Taunyane had returned to South Africa. The reception he received, however, devastated him. His parents and extended family rejected him, and his situation deteriorated to the extent that he ended up living on the street.When Setlhabi Taunyane’s theatre troupe came to Toronto from South Africa during apartheid in 1978, all eight members elected to apply for asylum in Canada. Taunyane completed his immigration examination, and his application was successful. Taunyane spent the next decade and a half acting on the stage in Canada.
His performance in the 1994 production of “Survival!” at the Helen Gardiner Playhouse was reviewed in the Toronto Star, whose critic noted the “fine comedy and poignancy” of Taunyane’s performance.
By the mid-1990s, apartheid restrictions had lifted, and Taunyane had returned to South Africa. The reception he received, however, devastated him. His parents and extended family rejected him, and his situation deteriorated to the extent that he ended up living on the street.Taunyane joined the “soapie” in 2007 and has been a staple on the show ever since. After 14 years, “Rhythm City” comes to an end on July 16, 2021. What a journey!
The soon-to-be-68-year-old Taunyane has certainly earned a peaceful retirement, but his fans undoubtedly hope to see him on the stage and screen for years to come—perhaps even one day back here in Toronto, his always welcoming home away from home.
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