Artist and a great mentor
NOT only was John Du Feu an accomplished actor, director, visual artist and musician, he was also a cherished member of the Townsville arts community – a gentle and nurturing mentor.
Born in 1949 in the UK, John began his journey as an actor in his homeland where he appeared in theatre and television, and toured with various theatre- in- education companies in the late 1960s and early ’ 70s. He worked with Kiss Research Theatre Co in Europe, the USA and Australia, first as an actor but he later took on writing most of the company’s productions.
After moving to Australia, John turned his talents towards freelance directing and writing for community projects. In the late ’ 80s he became artistic director of Shopfront Theatre for Young People in Sydney. In 1992, his writing talents saw him take on the role of dramaturge at the NIDA Playwright Studio.
John first made his mark in the local arts community when he became manager of the Townsville Civic Theatre in 1992. He became instrumental in supporting Townsville’s professional arts by working tirelessly to secure funding for the council to coproduce countless shows with local companies, including the highly popular Christmas pantomime which John not only wrote and directed, but also wrote music for.
He was the driving force behind the theatre’s inclusion in the Northern Australian Regional Performing Arts Centres Association , an alliance of civic centres along the coast of Northern Australia. Being part of the association meant Townsville performing arts organisations were able to tour their shows around to member theatres, showcasing local productions to other communities.
But it was John’s involvement with what was then the Tropic Line Theatre Company, which he was arguably most well- known for in Townsville. Over many years, working with the company in its many forms, John became one of its most influential creative minds.
He was the right- hand man to artistic director Jean- Pierre Voos. Although the pair were best friends they were often seen by others as chalk and cheese. Where Voos ruled with an iron fist, John became known as the gentle, softly spoken mentor to generations of local performers. He listened intently, had a keen interest in people, and was generous with his time.
As an actor, John was a powerful performer with a sharp intellect. He had a commanding presence on stage and total control over his physicality and voice. Even later in life when he took the lead role in King Lear he was exceptionally physical.
Yet despite his tremendous talent he remained humble. Even though he had done it his whole life, he never felt he entirely understood acting and always believed he was trying to work it out.
He also became a visual artist in his later years, inspired by his wife Daphne, who is an accomplished painter. The story goes that John had watched her painting one day and just decided he would have a go. Daphne was apparently furious that even that came naturally to him. The work he subsequently produced ended up in gallery exhibitions and he produced a number of performance art pieces.
John’s passion for the arts was eternal. He never stopped working even while he was suffering with illness towards the end of his life. In 2013 he penned a memoir about his life in the arts and only a few years ago he recorded a double album of all of his music.
The thing that stood out most about John was his humility. As well as an extremely talented, creative multidisciplinary, John was a supportive mentor and strong advocate for the arts.
John Du Feu passed away on May 9 and is survived by his beloved wife Daphne and daughter Marijke.
CHRIS SILVINI
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