Dorothy Ann has no pretentions, drops no names; she could – names like Dame Janet Suzman, Sir Anthony Sher, Sir Derek Jacobi, Frank Langella, or boast of sharing the stage with John Kani, the screen with Samuel L Jackson. Her CV does that for her. It is up to us to see her on stage, experience her talent and applaud a remarkable life which has seen her in over 350 productions. Yet, she finds all this unremarkable; too self-effacing, too amazed at a path that has taken her to New York, the West End and Stratford Upon Avon to act alongside and learn from the greats; with Yael Faber’s Molora she criss-crossed America, Britain and Europe.
Dorothy Ann has two passions, one is Shakespeare, the other, the disadvantaged of the world. Her magnanimous compassion drives her to seek out the homeless and give them a voice through theatre; prisoners and street people too afraid to speak for themselves, find their voice in a Shakespeare soliloquy. Children in township schools rise in a body to warn Othello of the sudden appearance on stage of the menacing Iago.
If there is any doubt as to the value of Shakespeare today, listen to Dorothy Ann. Her long career has included comedy, film and television; acting Chekhov, Anouilth, and Athol Fugard. Hers is a different sort of story, told with passion.