“…I love the theatre experience – the buzz of it is almost irreplaceable…”
Eric Abraham assiduously gathers people whom he has identified as striving for the same perfection as he seeks of himself. It is what has led him to producing a panoply of impressively successful works in drama, opera, television and film which includes the films Ida, winning an Academy Award and Kolya an Academy and Golden Globe Awards.
He is proudly South African-born. A former journalist and human rights activist who was banned and in 1976 put under house-arrest. He fled the country and lived under political asylum in Britain for 15 years. In this time he became a producer of BBC’s Panorama before going on to form Portobello, a production house with over 20 film and television series to its name.
In his extensive career Eric collaborated with East European auteurs creating films with directors Pawel Pawlikowski, Jiří Menzel and Jan Svěrák; each have gained international acclaim.
When he returned to SA in the ‘90s he brought home his infinite abilities, producing for instance The Magic Flute – Impempe Yomlingo which in 2008 won the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.
Supported by his wife Sigrid Rausing, Eric’s most lasting contribution to South African theatre was creating a small yet world-class 270-seater theatre in CT, The Fugard Theatre, converted from a Gothic church.
According to Eric, South Africa’s real wealth lies in the abundance of talent to be found in its people. Articulate and outspoken, Eric is an exceptional and inspiring example of that talent.
