(Left: Athol Fugard,
courtesy of Facebook)
The passing of Athol Fugard has rekindled a conversation about how artists tell the stories of their era.
Fugard’s gritty depictions of Apartheid-era South Africa were pared down - and drenched in pain and loss - but with characters who shared their hope and humanity. They also form a definitive record of the invisible people of the time.
Fugard spent much of his life in the Eastern Cape. In his
earlier years, he collaborated with John Kani and Winston Ntshona before later
writing his solo works. This year, the National Arts Festival remembers Athol
Fugard, his collaborations, and the legacy he left behind after passing away in
March this year. To pay tribute to this theatre legend, two of his works with
Ntshona and Kani, The Island and Sizwe Banzi is Dead, will be staged at
the Festival in collaboration with the Mandela Bay Theatre Complex.
The tribute incorporates the stories and interpretations of a new generation of artists. Gqeberha-based director, Xabiso Zweni’s sharp directorial eye reimagines The Island and Sizwe Banzi is Dead for a new generation of Festival-goers.
Festival dates: June 26 to July 6, 2025. For more information visit https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/2025-programme/
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