Difference between revisions of "The Blood Knot"

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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, it 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]]. 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.  
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A 1961 two-hander play by [[Athol Fugard]].
  
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Later Fugard reworked it and changed the title to ''[[Blood Knot]]''. This was directed by [[Benjy Francis]] in the [[Market Theatre|Upstairs Theatre]] at the [[Market Theatre]] in 1976.
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== Subject ==
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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. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Knot]
  
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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.  
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== Performance history in South Africa ==
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1961: After one performance at the [[Rhodes Theatre]] in Grahamstown in July 1961 it premièred for only one performance on 3rd September, 1961 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 and interracial cast staged in South Africa.
  
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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. Directed by [[Christopher Weare]] for Little Theatre Tours at UCT Arena Theatre with [[Christopher Gxalaba]] and [[Tim Greene]], May 1990.
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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 1962.  
  
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1976: Later Fugard reworked it and changed the title to ''[[Blood Knot]]''. This was staged in the [[Upstairs at The Market]], directed by [[Benjy Francis]] and starring [[Benjy Francis]] and [[Fats Bookholane]] in 1976.
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1988: Staged by [[PACT]], directed by [[Barney Simon]], with [[John Kani]] (Zachariah) and [[Marcel van Heerden]] (Morris).
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1990: Staged by [[Little Theatre]] Tours at UCT [[Arena Theatre]], directed by [[Christopher Weare]], with [[Christopher Gxalaba]] and [[Tim Greene]], May 1990.
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1998: Staged in the [[Pieter Roos Theatre]] at [[The Civic]] in Johannesburg, directed by [[Mark Graham]], with [[Ian Roberts]] and [[Zane Meas]].
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==Translations and adaptations==
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''[[Bloedbroers]]'', an Afrikaans  translation by [[Kobus J. Kotze]] was performed at the Absa [[Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees|KKNK]] in 2009, directed by [[Zane Meas]] with [[Christo Davids]] and [[Hennie Jacobs]].
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== Published ==
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First published in 1961/4?*. A revised version was published under the title ''[[Blood Knot]]'' in 198* and performed by ** in 1988**. (See Gosher, 1988) ''Blood Knot, The'' by Athol Fugard.
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Published in ''[[Simondium]]'' and also in [[Boesman and Lena ''and Other Plays'']] ([[Oxford University Press]]).
  
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''Bloedbroers'', an Afrikaans  translation by [[Kobus J. Kotze]] was performed at the Absa [[Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees|KKNK]] in 2009, directed by [[Zane Meas]] with [[Christo Davids]] and [[Hennie Jacobs]].  Published in ''[[Simondium]]'' and also in [[Boesman and Lena ''and Other Plays'']] ([[Oxford University Press]]).
 
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Knot
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''Cape Times'', 22 May 1990
 
''Cape Times'', 22 May 1990
  
  
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Return to [[ESAT Plays 1 B|B]]
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Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[PLAYS I: Original SA plays]]
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Return to [[PLAYS II: Foreign plays]]
 +
 
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Return to [[PLAYS III: Collections]]
 +
 
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Return to [[PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[South_African_Festivals|South African Festivals and Competitions]]
  
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Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Plays|South African Theatre Plays]]
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Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
  
 
Return to [[Main Page]]
 
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Revision as of 08:50, 8 September 2014

A 1961 two-hander play by Athol Fugard.

Subject

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. [1]

Performance history in South Africa

1961: After one performance at the Rhodes Theatre in Grahamstown in July 1961 it premièred for only one performance on 3rd September, 1961 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 and interracial cast staged in South Africa.

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 1962.

1976: Later Fugard reworked it and changed the title to Blood Knot. This was staged in the Upstairs at The Market, directed by Benjy Francis and starring Benjy Francis and Fats Bookholane in 1976.

1988: Staged by PACT, directed by Barney Simon, with John Kani (Zachariah) and Marcel van Heerden (Morris).

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

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

Translations and adaptations

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.

Published

First published in 1961/4?*. A revised version was published under the title Blood Knot in 198* and performed by ** in 1988**. (See Gosher, 1988) Blood Knot, The by Athol Fugard.

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


Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blood_Knot

Cape Times, 22 May 1990


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

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