Peter Lynsky – English and Theatre

Anyone remember Peter Lynsky a great teacher - also a very talented actor. Remember going to see him in the musical " A Happy Fella "I think he shared accommodation with Mr. Walpole - science? They could have been an item - Ros Hakim

Mr. Lynsky was the only teacher that had left a great impression on me. My major goals In High School were smoking, rugby and swimming. However, still remember my Hamlet and the passion that he taught with. – Max Salaminis ??

I did run into Peter Lynsky once [1970’s]. He had a coffee shop in Hillbrow. It was great talking to him. He was (maybe still is) a wonderful teacher. – Max Salminis

In Ian Kennedy's reminisces about life whilst at North View he comments on us all seeing Lynsky in the plays etc. – Brian Eisenberg

I remember Pete Lynsky getting us all tickets to go and see him in some show and singing ‚”Standing on the corner watching all the girls go by”. I think it was at the Civic theatre – Marlene Venn

"The Most Happy Fella" – Dennis Goldman

Do you remember the "Living Doll" Joan Fiddlier and her scene with Peter Lynsky. - Reve Rosmarin

Here is a link worth looking at re Peter Lynsky and Sidney Natas: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CDEQtwIwAQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Duq-45wPZfto&ei=Yim5UszGA42qhQfd94GoDg&usg=AFQjCNGrOkd5Rjdo7SmHa2EBE2h5NQwoFg&bvm=bv.58187178,d.ZG4 – Stan Klaff

Are you still standing on the corner watching all the girls go by??? I was leaving to immigrate to Australia, when I met with Brian Joffee, a very successful and affluent business man (who was my junior clerk studying to be an accountant) who asked me why I would want to go to such a vanilla place like Perth, where nothing happens, whereas in SA everything is happening? Well as you say Peter, Australia and especially Perth (the only city I know about) is like Jo'burg was when we grew up in the "A (bad word), era," However at my age, this place suits us from a orderly caring society point of view, where life is still cherished and law and order prevails to a large degree. Western Australia and in particular Perth, have grown too fast - 200 families arriving (excluding the boat people) every week, so roads are starting to get congested and the Souf Efrikens are everywhere - Afrikaans is the second unofficial language hahaha….. My bucket list includes getting to Brisbane and the Gold Coast, as well as the Great Barrier Reef, but having an unwell wife I have to be realistic….. – Rob Bluen

Peter Lynsky Responds:

There was a youngster in std 6, think his name was Mcmenamen - son of a primary school principal. He took a fancy to me and every time he passed my class room (a prefab) he used to wave or pull a face. One Monday morning I had a double Shakespeare and was perched on front desk. During the period change I continued pontificating as the classes passed my window. This little zulic duly passed, smiled and the did a quick return to pull a face with a smile from here to eternity. I just lost my cool, got up to catch him. I collared him but he broke away and ran onto the rubble-strewn playground as only the main block had been completed. He was screaming " I was just playing, sir'. The whole school assembly led outside the classrooms cheering me on with Harrison exhorting me to cease the chase. Eventually caught up as he stumbled on a heap of sand. I fell as well and the two of us lay amongst the rubble screaming with laughter with the school cheering and applauding!

Harrison was not amused and wanted to punish the kid! I just brushed it off with a shrug quoting 'The quality of mercy is not strained'! Do you know that I kept to that quote when I took over 3 schools including The Sha'areh Torah Academy for Boys at the request of Rabbi Harris just before coming to Australia.

When I arrived here I applied for 25 posts with a resume which daunted all! Got no replies until I removed some of my qualifications!!! I then taught 12 subjects to matriculants (yr 12's). The standard was alarmingly low. What we were doing in Matric English was equivalent to first/second university. Nothing much has changed. We had a privileged white education but it was one of the best if not the best in the world. I then became a educational psychologist dealing with pupils who proved difficult during lessons with my Responsible Thinking Process. It worked!! I now lecture 3x a week at University of Brisbane doing Middle Age Literature and Anglo Saxon. Still love the Beloved Country though and visit every year. What we have forgotten Australia has yet to learn ! - Pete

Wow what a blast from the past!!! It was so refreshing to read your well written email; I remember like yesterday, when you were teaching Hamlet to us plebs, and you got to the point where some dude in the play died and you were re-enacting the scene, and fell down behind your desk and lay there for an inordinate length of time  - the true actor - and we all stood up to peer over to make sure if you were "OK"……school days oh school days - the best times of our lives, but I'm guessing most of us did not really grasp that fact until much later.

So what brought you to the land of BBQ's and sheep? I would have picked London for you if ever there was a choice - the theatres, the culture and shitty weather what else could one ask for? (ask Brian Eisenberg hahahaha).

Well once again, thanks for taking the time and trouble to write to us, it is fascinating what this re-union has achieved and in no small part thanks to Stan Klaff, the gregarious, concerned ex Northview Pupil, and all those who keep the emails flowing.

All the very best for 2014. – Robert Bluen

So nice to see your email. Such wonderful times at Northview. You definitely were one my favorite teachers.  Did u not take us for Afrikaans in Form 1.

Is it not possible for u to come to Sydney - there are so many of us living here and no doubt would all love to catch up with u. 

 I heard you have been to a few reunions. My brother Norman says Bennie Nackan is still in contact with you and u were at their reunion.

 It would be so exciting if you could make a trip to Sydney!!!!

 All the best for 2014 - Reva Rosmarin

Mmmmmm how nice to have you on our class list 'sir'.   Can't believe we actually called you that.   You brought our setwork  books to life and our classes with you went far too fast!   We never moaned about going to English!  - Sheila Gien

Wow, Sheila – are you STILL ‘making up to the teacher’ ??!!! Don’t you realise he can’t affect your results anymore? – *[called ‘brown-nosing’ in the USA, can’t recall what slang word we used – ‘schlupping’??) - Brian Eisenberg

"Schlupping"  That is a word that I haven't heard in a long time. Makes  me  feel nostalgic for the old county. – Helen Hovis

I really should have tried the shlupping bit. Maybe I would have got a pass mark for that book Joan of Arc.   - Sheila Gien

I agree wholeheartedly with Reva.  Brian has, out of the blue, brought back the past  (for me at least ) IN A MOST SPECTACULAR WAY.  I never in my wildest dreams, especially when I passed the school less than 2 years ago, thought that I would ever re-enter the beloved school and find you all playing around on the fields and me with my brief case +2 baskets (I had to separate the English and Afrikaans essays !) wending my way to the staff room to have a cuppa and a cookie ! I never thought that those years would have meant sooo much to so many of you; the years which I cherished as I have always made it my business to pass the school every time I visit the magnificent country, would be brought back to life so vividly.  I have often retravelled the route from the school to my apartment in Yeoville, passing the familiar places, picking up Estelle in my little black ford and later the left wheel drive Corsair ! Oi Vey !  How the years re-appear so vividly. Brian, you have done a magnificent job. Bless you . -Pete Lynsky

Some more titbits for you !  Yvonne became very interested in drama and I introduced her and a few others to Ruth Oppenheim who headed the Lee Strassberg Method Theatre Programme in Johannesburg.  I had already graduated from it.  She was an enthusiastic member and I though she would become an actress-perhaps she did and her oscar performance might be the frum role she is playing now !!!

I remember Lorna Gordon and I going to town to buy curtains for the new hall!  We wanted a stain glass effect.  It cost a fortune in those days and we were so scared that Harrison would have a collapse !!  But he was super about it.

I remember doing a production of Caesar and Cleopatra.  I needed some sound effects especially of Roman soldiers marching so Harrison allowed me to taken a couple of senior classes into the hall.  I made them practice marching and then taped it.  They had a ball ( missing my English lesson !!) and the new curtains fluttered in the wind !!!   Cecil Williams , the well known professional producer and a friend of mine, came to the opening and gave a speech.  He had befriended Mandela in the early days and Mandela never forgot it.  After I left Northcliff to lecture in English at Wits/Teacher Training College I produced T.S. Eliot's Murder in the Cathedral in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Saratoga Avenue for the African National Feeding Scheme.  The production involving 105 people was acclaimed and received rave reviews from all newspapers.  The following year Peter Schaffer allowed me to produce the acclaimed Royal Hunt of the Sun .  He gave me the rights because I wanted to break the British Playrights ban on SA.  He consented on one condition that the proceeds would go the feeding scheme ( having viewed the reviews of Murder) and that I had to have a venue where a multicultural audience would be allowed.  Theatres in those days were strictly Whites only.  This was a problem.  At the time the German School had just completed their new premises with a magnificent hall with its theatre almost in the round.  They were delighted to give it to me, Peter Schaffer was delighted and waived all copyright fees.  The government was furious when the news made headlines in The Star.  Still have the massive coverage.  I then went on to do many productions resulting in an offer to understudy on Broadway after my role in The Most Happy Fella at the Civic.  I still regret not taking it but I had so many things going on starting a new career etc  I was confused and very much part of the theatrical scene here.  But all that a bit later. - Pete Lynsky