An archive of hot news from 2010

The Road to Mecca in Canada

The Road to Mecca is on at the Rosebud Theatre, Alberta.  The director is Morris Ertman.  Judith Buchan plays Miss Helen, Alysa van Haastert plays Elsa and Steve Waldschmidt plays Marius.  The Scenic Designer is Morris Ertman, Costume Designer Norma Roth, Lighting Designer Becky Halterman, Sound Designer Luke Ertman and Stage Manager Justin Born.


"A life worth living... Miss Helen lives alone and has transformed her home into a work of art by creating a myriad of cement figures outside the house and decorating the inside with dozens of candles and mirrors. She has created her own "Mecca" of beauty and freedom. A young friend, Elsa, drives from Cape Town to make a surprise visit on the same day the local pastor, Marius Byleveld, comes to Miss Helen's house to help with her application for a bed at the local Old Folks' Home".

It is on from 10 Sept -23 Nov 2010.  Click on the image for more details.

Fugard Festival in Nieu Bethesda, South Africa

The next Fugard Festival will feature three Fugard plays.

Victoria (Victory in Afrikaans) presented by Stellenbosch University's Drama Department.  The translation is by Idil Sheard, the director is Zoettje Hofmeyr and the actors are Pierre Nelson, Simone Benjamin and Ruan Cornelissen.

Met Kerslig na Mecca (The Road to Mecca in Afrikaans).  "Met kerslig na Mecca is vertaal deur Idil Sheard. Yvonne Batista gaan ons weereens vereer met haar teenwoordigheid in die rol van Helen, waarvoor sy al vantevore bekroon is.  The road to Mecca het nie net Helen Martins se werk aan die wereld bekend gestel nie, maar ook Nieu Bethesda wereldwyd bekend gemaak. Nieu Bethesda en Helen Martins is so in mekaar verweef dat die een nie sonder die ander sou bestaan nie en dus 'n moet is vir enige fees wat op Nieu Bethesda opgevoer word."

Playland presented by the University of the Orange Free State directed by Thys Heydenrych.

Master Harold in Canada

Master Harold is on at the Firehall Theatre in Gananoque, Ontario from 22 July- 21 Aug 2010.

It is directed by Nigel Shawn Williams, with Set/Costume Design by Shawn Kerwin and Lighting Design by Adair Redish.  The actors are Julian DeZotti (Hally), Conrad Coates (Sam) and Ryan Allen (Willie).

"Set in South Africa, during the early apartheid days. The story deals with the coming of age of seventeen- year-old Hally. Hally, a white South African, is torn between his bigoted biological father’s expectations of him and those of his surrogate fathers, black waiters named Sam and Willy. Young Hally is obliged to laugh at his father’s racist jokes and perform humiliating tasks like empty chamber pots. By contrast, Sam exposes Hally to many positive experiences. After being humiliated by his father, Sam shows Hally how to be proud of something he’s achieved by helping him build and fly his own kite. One day, Hally receives news that his real father, an alcoholic and violent person, is coming back home from a long stint in a hospital. Hally, distraught with this news, unleashes years of anger and pain on his two black friends."

Click on the image for more details.

Statements After An Arrest Under The Immorality Act in South Africa

Statements After An Arrest Under The Immorality Act is at The Nunnery, Wits Theatre, Johannesburg.  It is directed by Vanessa Cooke.

"The play is an indictment of the inhumanity of authoritarian regimes through a compassionate examination of the relationship between two ordinary people whose love for each other breaks the law."

It is on from 5- 14 Aug 2010.  Click on the image for more details.

Hello and Goodbye, South Africa

Hello and Goodbye is at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg from 19 Jul- 22 Aug 2010.  Directed by Mark Graham, the actors are Michael Maxwell and Dorothy Anne Gould.

"Hello and Goodbye, a gripping and often harrowing drama, is as pertinent today as it was when it was written in 1965. Set in the kitchen of a railway house in Port Elizabeth in 1963, the play softly cauterizes the wounded lives of its characters. A brother and sister who have not seen each other for years, unpack boxes and suitcases in search of an elusive inheritance and in so doing unpack the memories and truths of their empty and damaged lives...

Hello and Goodbye is classic Fugard, unashamedly South African, placed in the environment in which he grew up amongst the ironies, dichotomies and pain of South African life under apartheid. Johnny and Hester are considered to be among the greatest roles in South African theatre."

Click on the image for more details.

The Road to Mecca in London

Image by Idil Sukan

The Road to Mecca will be performed at the Arcola Theatre, London from 15 Jun- 10 Jul 2010.  The director is Russell Bolam, designer Ruth Hall, movement director Laila Diallo, composer Gary Yershon and casting Lucy Jenkins.  Miss Helen will be played by Linda Bassett.  Click on the image for more details.

Coming Home, British Premiere

Coming Home receives its British premiere at the Arcola Theatre in London.  It is on from 8 Jun- 3 Jul 2010.  The director is Cordelia Monsey, designer Victoria Johnstone and lighting designer Michael Nabarro.  David Judge plays Alfred Witbooie, Nadim Sawalha plays Oupa Yonkers and Cat Simmons plays Veronica Yonkers.  The child, Mannetjie, is played alternatively by Taanashe Mwatsiya, Panashe Mwatsiya, Jamel Matthias or Jaden Matthias.  Click on the image for more details.  Recommended.

The theatre is also showing The Road to Mecca.

A film of The Island in London

London's Victoria and Albert Museum show a film of Kani and Ntshona in The Island, filmed in London in 2000.  It is on 18 Jun 2010.  I saw the 2000 production, and it is recommended.

Sizwe Bansi is Dead

Sizwe Bansi is Dead is at the Court Theatre in Chicago.  It is on from 13 May- 13 Jun 2010.  The director is Ron OJ Parson.  The actors are Chiké Johnson (Styles) and Allen Gilmore (Sizwe).

Scenic design is by Jack Magaw, costume design by Christine Pascual, lighting by Lee Keenan, sound by Nick Keenan,  production dramaturg Kelli Marino, production stage manager Sara Gammage and assistant stage manager Jonathan Nook.

Click on the image for more details.

Coming Home in Berkey, USA

Coming Home is on from 15 Jan- 28 Feb 2010 at Berkeley Rep.  The director is Gordon Edelstein.  The actors are Colman Domingo and Roslyn Ruff.

Click on the image for more details.  The photo of Colman Domingo is by T. Charles Erickson.

The Train Driver world premiere in South Africa

Fugard's latest play premieres at the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town, South Africa in Feb 2010.  More details soon.

Three Fugard plays in Chicago, USA
Master Harold... and the Boys (and a study guide)

Master Harold is on at the Timeline Theatre Company in Chicago.  It is on from 23 Jan- 21 Mar 2010.  The actors are Daniel Bryant (Willie), Alfred H. Wilson (Sam)- after 28 Feb Jonathan Wilson takes over the role and Nate Burger (Hally).   The director is Jonathan Wilson.  Click on the image for more details.

For the performance the company have prepared a study guide by Kelli Marino.  Click on the image for the guide.

Three Fugard plays in Chicago, USA
The Island

The Island is presented by the Remy Bumppo think theatre at the Greenhouse Theatre in Chicago.  It plays between 27 Jan- 7 Mar 2010.  The director is James Bohnen.  Click on the image for more details.