It's a Colourful World

It’s a Colourful World is a comic revue by written by Guru Pillay with music by Herby Govinden, Peter Somasundram and Andy Joseph.

The original text

Written in 1970, the revue reflected the absurdities of apartheid, presenting the absurdities of living with racial and colour discrimination. The revue dealt with colour in all its aspects, social, political, sexual, love across the colour line, sport, race, marriage, colour consciousness among Indians.

Translations and adaptations

Performance history in South Africa

1971: Produced by MAD (Music And Drama). The show opened on Friday, 22 January 1971, at Bolton Hall, Durban, and played to full houses, had to be extended and seemed on a limitless run. The main actors were Maynard Peters, Barrie Shah and Benjy Francis. The cast consisted of South Africans of Indian descent. Just as the show entered its fourth week, it was brought to a sudden halt. On Wednesday, 17 February 1971, the Publications Control Board banned the script of It’s a Colourful World on the grounds that it undermined morality and was offensive to White people. Two final performances were given on 26 and 27 February.