Author Topic: political Fugard  (Read 9149 times)

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Offline Iain Fisher

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Re: political Fugard
« Reply #4 on: November 15, 2011, 10:50:54 PM »
I agree "Fugard has given a voice to the suppressed and marginalised people; and this has made his plays appear 'political' because of the struggle in South Africa" and his plays "stand beyond the political colour."

Something like The Island, written and performed when Robben Island held Nelson Mandela, must have been seen as a big threat by the authorities.  But the beauty of the play lies in the characters, one to be saved (released) and one doomed.

Offline koviba

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Re: political Fugard
« Reply #3 on: October 09, 2011, 08:56:16 AM »
In fact Fugard has created excellent plays which stand beyond the political colour. They present his anguish as a creative human being for the need for understanding each other/one another along with the need for loving as humans.

Offline koviba

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Re: political Fugard
« Reply #2 on: October 09, 2011, 08:42:38 AM »
Dear IAIN,
In spite of Fugard's  observation that he is not a political playwright, certain critics observe that Fugard did not represent the political struggle properly.

Every creative artist represents his society and Fugard has given a voice to the suppressed and marginalised people; and this has made his plays appear 'political' because of the struggle in South Africa. This in a way has also restricted his creativity. 


Offline Iain Fisher

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political Fugard
« Reply #1 on: October 03, 2008, 01:13:48 AM »
I was looking at Dennis Walder's "Notes on Selected Plays"- actually I wanted to reread Fugard's Statements but following a shuffling of my books I can't find it it, so I came to the book as a substitute. One small but interesting paragraph concerns Fugard's politics

"Fugard, unlike George Bernard Shaw... or Bertolt Brecht..., two of the greatest recent political playwrights, is not political in the sense of having been personally active in any political movement or party.  (Shaw was an active Fabian So*** THIS IS SPAM MARKED FOR DELETION ***t, and Brecht a communist)...

...[Fugard's plays] are political in the sense of having to do with a specific burning contemporary issue, the effects of apartheid upon the people of South Africa; and these effects are shown in such  way that they are not seen as exclusive to South Africa"

Incidentally the book gives the author's first name as Denis (it is Dennis).