Your Loving Simon

Two-man play workshopped and directed by Robert Coleman (2003). Published in S.A. Gay Plays 2: an anthology of plays 1994–2013 compiled by Robin Malan (2013).

Subject

A dramatized biographical portrait of Simon Nkoli (freedom fighter, political prisoner, human rights and gay activist; 1957-1998), who died of an AIDS-related illness at 40.

The play was inspired by the GALA collection of letters Nkoli had written from prison to his lover "Roy", and was workshopped, written and directed by Robert Coleman as a two-hander. The text explores Nkoli's life, first as an oft-imprisoned student activist, then as one of the famous 22 Delmas treason trialists (the notorious trial that lasted from 1985 to 1988) and also as co-founder of GLOW (Gays & Lesbians of the Witwatersrand) in 1988. The main focus of the play is on the tension between Nkoli’s dual roles as an anti-apartheid political activist, on the one hand, and as a black gay man who found out in prison that he was HIV positive, on the other.

[JvH]

(For more on Simon Nkoli, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Nkoli)

Performance history in South Africa

First performed at The Market Theatre in April 2003, directed by Robert Coleman, with Fourie Nyamande as Simon Nkoli and Bheki Vilakazi as Madoda Mvelazi .

Sources

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

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

Sichel, 2003a

Greig, 2003a

Van Heerden, 2008[1].p. 176.

The Star, 8 April 2003.

Mail & Guardian, 10 April 2003.

Sunday Independent, 20 April 2003.

The Star, 22 April 2003.

The Citizen, 1 May 2003.

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