Overview
South Africa has a uniquely rich and diverse theatre tradition which has
responded energetically to the country's remarkable transition, helping
to define the challenges and contradictions of this young democracy.
This volume considers the variety of theatre forms, and the work of the
major playwrights and theatre makers producing work in democratic South
Africa. It offers an overview of theatre pioneers and theatre forms in
Part One, before concentrating on the work of individual playwrights in
Part Two. Through its wide-ranging survey of indigenous drama written
predominantly in the English language and the analysis of more than 100
plays, a detailed account is provided of post-apartheid South African
theatre and its engagement with the country's recent history. Part One
offers six overview chapters on South African theatre pioneers and
theatre forms. These include consideration of the work of artists such
as Barney Simon, Mbongeni Ngema, Phyllis Klotz; the collaborations of
William Kentridge and the Handspring Puppet Company; the work of Magnet
Theatre, and of physical and popular community theatre forms.
Part Two features chapters on twelve major playwrights, including Athol
Fugard, Reza de Wet, Lara Foot, Zakes Mda, Yael Farber, Mpumelelo Paul
Grootboom, Mike van Graan and Brett Bailey. It includes a survey of
emerging playwrights and significant plays, and the book closes with an
interview with Aubrey Sekhabi, the Artistic Director of the South
African State Theatre in Pretoria. Written by a team of over twenty
leading international scholars, The Methuen Drama Guide to Contemporary
South African Theatre is a unique resource that will be invaluable to
students and scholars from a range of different disciplines, as well as
theatre practitioners.