The Blood Knot

The Blood Knot is a play by Athol Fugard (1932-).

Also found as The Bloodknot

A later version bears the title Bloodknot (also found as Blood Knot in some sources).

The original text

The only two characters in the play are the brothers Morris and Zachariah. Both were raised by the same black mother, but have different fathers, and Morris is much more fair-skinned than Zachariah. Morris can pass for white, and has done so in the past, but now he has returned to live with Zachariah in a small, miserable shack in the "colored" section of Port Elizabeth. Morris keeps the house, while Zachariah works to support them both. They are saving money in hopes of buying a farm of their own some day. Both Morris and Zachariah have rich imaginations and have taken part in role-playing games together since they were small boys.

First created and performed for two experimental performances (one at Rhodes University Theatre Complex in Grahamstown in July 1961 and one on 3rd September, before an invited interracial audience in the Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House in 1961.

The play became Fugard’s first truly successful stage work, one which is to this day highly regarded internationally as well.

In 1976 Fugard revised the play and renamed it Bloodknot (or Blood Knot in some sources). This revised version was first performed at the Market Theatre in 1976. The authoritative form of the play (cut by a third and substantially re-written) was published by Oxford University Press in 1985.

Both versions of the play have been published a number of times, and have been included in various collections. Among them:

The Blood Knot ("A Play in Seven Acts"), London: Samuel French, 1964

Boesman and Lena and Other Plays London: Oxford University Press, 196*

Athol Fugard: Three Port Elizabeth Plays London: Oxford University Press, 1974.

Blood Knot and Other Plays 1993

Simondium

Translations and adaptations

On 18 May 1963 The Blood Knot was recorded as a teleplay for Armchair Theatre by Associated British Corporation (ABC), but was never scheduled for broadcast on ITV.[1]

Translated into Dutch as Zacharias mijn broeder ("Zacharias my brother") by Jozef van Hoeck, 1962.

Translated into French by Jean-Michel Martial with the title Liens du Sang. It was first presented at the Théâtre de la Tempête in Paris in 1998.

Translated into Afrikaans as Bloedbroers ("Blood brothers"), by Kobus J. Kotze was performed at the Absa KKNK in 2009, directed by Zane Meas with Christo Davids and Hennie Jacobs.

Performance history in South Africa

1961: After one performance at Rhodes University Theatre Complex in Grahamstown in July 1961 it premièred for only one performance on 3rd September, before an invited interracial audience in the Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House in Johannesburg, directed by the playwright, with Athol Fugard as Morris and Zakes Mokae as Zachariah. Designs by Frank Graves. This was the first stage production with an interracial cast staged in South Africa. Leon Gluckman then presented it at the Intimate.

1962: Staged at the Labia Theatre in Cape Town on 12 February 1962 and, commissioned by the British publisher Andrew Deutsch, in London’s West End in May.

1976: The reworked text performed as Blood Knot Upstairs at the Market, directed by Benjy Francis and starring Benjy Francis (Morris) and Fats Bookholane (Zachariah ).

1986: Staged at the Grahamstown Festival and subsequently at the Wits Theatre Complex, directed by Jerry Mofokeng, featuring Zane Meas (Zach) and Kellam Beard (Morrie). Designer Adrian Galley.

1987: Market Theatre, directed by Barney Simon, with John Kani (Zachariah) and Marcel van Heerden (Morris).

1988: Staged by PACT (Market Theatre?), directed by Barney Simon, with John Kani (Zachariah) and Marcel van Heerden (Morris). Designer Nadya Cohen.

1990: Staged by Little Theatre Tours at UCT Arena Theatre, directed by Christopher Weare, with Christopher Gxalaba (Zachariah) and Tim Greene (Morris) in May.

1998: Staged in the Pieter Roos Theatre at The Civic in Johannesburg, directed by Mark Graham, with Ian Roberts (Morris) and Zane Meas (Zachariah).

2009: Performed in Afrikaans as Bloedbroers ("Blood brothers", translated by by Kobus J. Kotze) at the Absa KKNK in April, directed by Zane Meas with Christo Davids and Hennie Jacobs.

2022: Performed to acclaim at the Market Theatre, Johannesburg, directed by James Ncgobo, with Mncedisi Shabangu and Francois Jacobs. The production then transferred to the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, for a short season (11 - 17 May).

International performances

1998: Performed in French as Liens du Sang at the Théâtre de la Tempête in Paris, opening 21 April. The directors were Gilles David and Vlad Trandafilov and the cast included Dominik Bernard, Akonio Dolo, Jacques Martial.

2019: Performed at the Orange Tree Theatre, London, from 8 March to 20 April, directed by Matthew Xia with Nathan McMullen and Kalungi Ssebandeke. Design by Basia Bińkowska, lighting by Ciarán Cunningham, sound and compositions by Xana, movement director Angela Gasparetto, fight director Kevin McCurdy, voice and dialect coach Emma Woodvine, costume supervisor Megan Rarity and casting consultant Sophie Parrott CDG.

Sources

Ruphin Coudyzer. 2023. Annotated list of his photographs of Market Theatre productions. (Provided by Coudyzer)

Gosher, 1988

Wikipedia [2]

Cape Times, 22 May 1990

Liens du Sang theatre programme.

Petru & Carel Trichardt theatre programme collection.

https://www.orangetreetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/blood-knot/cast

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays

Return to PLAYS II: Foreign plays

Return to PLAYS III: Collections

Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances

Return to South African Festivals and Competitions

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

NOTES

by Athol Fugard. A play about the bonding of two black brothers, one of whom is lighter skinned and has been passing for white. Fugard’s first truly successful play, one which is highly regarded internationally as well.

The original text

The play first opened at the Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House on 3rd September, 1961 before an invited interracial audience. Directed by Fugard, who played “Morris” with Zakes Mokae as “Zachariah”, and with designs by Frank Graves.

Published in Simondium and also in Boesman and Lena ''and Other Plays'' (Oxford University Press, 1980).

Performance history in South Africa

Notes** for integration in this section

Blood Knot, The by Athol Fugard. Athol and Zakes Mokae starred in this play which opened at the Rhodes Theatre in Grahamstown in July 1961, and then played at the Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House in September. Leon Gluckman then presented it at the Intimate.

This play was staged again at Upstairs at the Market, directed by Benjy Francis and starring Francis and Fats Bookholane in 1976.

Barney Simon directed this play starring John Kani and Marcel van Heerden for PACT in 1988.

It opened at the Intimate Theatre on 11 November 1961(1963?*). This production marked the birth of a new South African accent and focus in South African theatre. It toured the country and was shown to acclaim in London For example, it was staged at the Labia Theatre, Cape Town on the evening of 12 February 1962, and - commissioned by the British publisher Andrew Deutsch, was staged on London’s West End in May 1962. The play was first published in 1961/4?*. A revised version was published under the title Bloodknot[Blood Knot?*] in 198* and performed by ** in 1988**. (See Gosher, 1988)

Later Fugard reworked it and changed the title to Bloodknot. This was directed by Benjy Francis in the Upstairs Theatre at the Market Theatre in 1976.

It opened at the Intimate Theatre on 11 November 1961(1963?*). This production marked the birth of a new South African accent and focus in South African theatre. It toured the country and was shown to acclaim in London For example, it was staged at the Labia Theatre, Cape Town on the evening of 12 February 1962, and - commissioned by the British publisher Andrew Deutsch, was staged on London’s West End in May 1962.

Later Fugard reworked it and changed the title to Bloodknot. This was directed by Benjy Francis in the Upstairs Theatre at the Market Theatre in 1976.

The play was first published in 1961/4?*. A revised version was published under the title Bloodknot[Blood Knot?*] in 198* and performed by ** in 1988**. (See Gosher, 1988) Blood Knot, The by Athol Fugard. Athol and Zakes Mokae starred in this play which opened at the Rhodes Theatre in Grahamstown in July 1961, and then played at the Rehearsal Room at Dorkay House in September. Leon Gluckman then presented it at the Intimate.

Three Port Elizabeth plays : The blood knot, Hello and goodbye, Boesman and Lena / Athol Fugard. London : Oxford University Press, 1974

This play was staged again at Upstairs at the Market, directed by Benjy Francis and starring Francis and Fats Bookholane in 1976.

Barney Simon directed this play starring John Kani and Marcel van Heerden for PACT in 1988.

Translations and adaptations

Translated into French by Jean-Michel Martial with the title Liens du Sang. It was presented at the Théâtre de la Tempête in Paris, opening 21 April 1998. The directors were Gilles David and Vlad Trandafilov and the cast included Dominik Bernard, Akonio Dolo, Jacques Martial.

Bloedbroers, an Afrikaans translation by Kobus J. Kotze was performed at the Absa KKNK in 2009, directed by Zane Meas with Christo Davids and Hennie Jacobs.