King Kong: An All-African Jazz Opera

King Kong: An All-African Jazz Opera (1959) [1] is a South African musical, with music by Todd Matshikiza, book by Harry Bloom and lyrics by Matshikiza and Pat Willams.

King Kong: An All-African Jazz Opera (1959) [2] is a South African musical, with music by Todd Matshikiza, book by Harry Bloom and lyrics by Matshikiza and Pat Willams.

A jazz musical by Harry Bloom (book), Pat Williams (lyrics) and Todd Mitshikiza**** (Nguni lyrics and music). Musical about the rise and fall of heavyweight boxer Ezekiel Dhlamini. The producer was Leon Gluckman, musical director Stanley (Spike) Glasser, the choreographer Arnold Dover and the designer Arthur Goldreich. The facilitators of the production were Clive and Irene Menell. A production for Union Artists, it had the Anglo-American Corporation as a major sponsor. Written in (?*)1957, first performed in the Wits Great Hall in 1959. The production starred trumpeter Hugh Masekela, Nathan Mdledle in the lead role, band vocalist Miriam Makeba, Joe Mogotsi and Peggy Phango. Toured the country, playing in **, **, ** and other venues. One of the key theatrical events in the development of South African theatre, it has had its share of controversy. On the one hand it was seen as, and almost certainly was, an exploitation of black talent by white entrepreneurs, and a presented a white-washed European version of black community life. On the other hand it gave many performers access to professional theatre, launched the careers and made stars of many performers, some of them in the international arena (e.g. Miriam Makeba and Hugh Masekela), and it contributed powerfully to the development of the so-called “township musical” tradition utilized by Gibson Kente, Sam Manghwane and others, and even the eventual style and form of so-called “black theatre” and “protest theatre”. King Kong was unsuccessfully revived in the 1980s, while an attempt to revive it again in 2001 at the Spier Festival in Stellenbosch floundered on copyright and other issues. Text published by Collins in 1961 as King Kong – An African Jazz Opera. A version of the text by *** first published Fontana Books 1961, a second version by *** published by *** in 19**. There is also a book about the show by Mona Glasser called King Kong. A Venture in the Theatre (Cape Town: Norman Howell, 1960). (Tucker, 1997)

Performance history in South Africa

1959: The South African musical by Matshikiza, Bloom and Williams, under the title King Kong: A Jazz Opera, was staged by the Union of South African Artists and the African Medical Scholarship Trust Fund in the City Hall in Durban, opening on 11 May, directed by Leon Gluckman, with Nathan Mdledle (King Kong), Miriam Makeba (Joyce), Joseph Mogotsi (Lucky), Stephen Moloi (Jack), Helen Gama (Miriam), Dan Poho (Popcorn), Ruth Nkonyeni (Petal), James Thompson (Slim), Rufus Khoza (Harry), Ronnie Majola (Joe), Boy Ngweya (Gangster 1), Jerry Tsagane (Gangster 2), Bennett Masango (Sgt. Dhlamini), Gwigwi Mrwebi (Kuswayo), Phyllis Mqomo (Pauline), Desiree Mkele (Lena), Esme Raborethi (Trufina), Victor Ndlazelwane (Journalist), Abigail Kubeka (Joyce's Girl 1), Hazel Futa (Joyce's Girl 2), Suzan Gabashane (Joyce's Girl 3), Fats Peterson (Ma Ngidi), Lefty Maruping (Caswell) and Ken Gampu (Preacher/Jordan). Decor and costumes by Arthur Goldreich, musical direction by Stanley Glasser and choreography by Arnold Dover. The orchestra of 14 musicians included Hugh Masekela on trumpet.

1960: The same production was staged by Union Artists, with some changes to the casting: Peggy Phango (Joyce), Patience Gcwabe (Miriam), Ben Masinga (Popcorn), Sophie Mgcina (Petal), Aaron Modise (Slim), Jerry Tsagane (Gangster 1), Ernest Mohlomi (Gangster 2), Tandi Kumalo (Lena), Louisa Emmanuel (Trufina), Mabel Mafuya (Mabel), Alton Kumalo (Journalist), Victor Ndlazelwane (Photographer), Vena Bendile (Joyce's Girl 3), Martha Mdenge (Ma Ngidi), Wanda Makhubu (Caswell) and Tommy Wilson Buson (Preacher/Jordan). This production also toured to London.