No-Good Friday

No-Good Friday is a play by Athol Fugard. A look at the deprivations, violence and problems of township life governed by tsotsis. Written by Fugard on the basis of a workshop in rehearsal space provided by Union Artists, with the help of Lewis Nkosi, Bloke Modisane, Nat Nakasa, Sheila Fugard and the performers.

The play had its first performance outside South Africa in 1974 at the Crucible Studio, Sheffield, England.

The original text

First performed at the Bantu Men's Social Centre (BMSC), Johannesburg on 30 August 1958.

First published in 1958??*. Included in a variety of play collections over the years. (Kruger:88-89) Published in Dimetos and Two Early Plays by Oxford University Press.

Performance history in South Africa

1958: First performed at the Bantu Men's Social Centre (BMSC), Johannesburg on 30 August 1958, with “Hal Lannigan” (Fugard) as “Father Higgins”, followed by four nights at the Brian Brooke Theatre in the same city that year (when Lewis Nkosi took over the role, to make it an all-black cast according to the laws of the time).

His first major play, No-Good Friday was staged at the Bantu Men's Social Centre in conjunction with the Union of Southern African Artists. Fugard himself appeared in the play, together with his black cast – Bloke Modisane, Dan Poho, Steve Moloi, Ken Gampu, Gladys Sibisa, Corney Mabaso, Sol Rachilo and Zakes Mokae in 1958. This play was later transferred to the Brooke Theatre for a ‘whites only’ run.

1958: Presented by the Benedicta Bonaccorsi Theatre Studio in aid of African Children's Feeding Scheme 17 September 1958.

1988: Produced by Professor Ian Steadman of the Wits School of Dramatic Art at the 1988 Grahamstown Festival Fringe. This production was one of three finalists for the Pick of the Fringe Award that year.

1989: Directed at the UCT Arena Theatre, Cape Town, by Liz Mills for the University of Cape Town Drama Department from 5 to 20 May 1989. The cast: Motshabi Tyelele, Linda L. Mpho, Christopher Gxalaba, Thembile Pepeteka, Neil Cave, Stephen Ntsane, Goodwill Mokoena, Pogiso Mogwera, Nkosinathi Gqotso, Mongezi Tom, Xola Luse. Music by Bella Jardim, voice coach Natalia Baker. Stage manager Nicola du Plessis, set design Liz Mills, lighting design Paul Abrams.

Sources

Theatre programme (Bonaccorsi production 1958) held by NELM: [Collection: FUGARD, Athol]: 2012. 390. 4. 6.

Cue, 2(10). 10 July 1988.

No-Good Friday theatre progrmme, 1989.

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