Theatre of the bold and the new
A new play at the Market Theatre tells of an imaginary meeting between two of the most prominent activists in the US civil rights movement, writes Edward Tsumele
Market Theatre artistic director James Ngcobo is directing an American play, The Meeting, to mark Black History Month. The theatre is collaborating with the US embassy to mark this cultural event. Ngcobo believes Africa and the US are eternally intertwined as their struggles for freedom — to emancipate slaves and build an economy that allows their people to thrive — have led to the formation of an "umbilical connection" between African Americans and this continent. "When I came to the Market Theatre as its artistic director, the first thing I did was to introduce plays that mark Black History Month, an event that is even more pertinent given the #BlackLivesMatter campaign currently sweeping through American cities," he says. "As South Africans, we have to abandon the notion that we exist in isolation from what is happening globally, because we don’t," Ngcobo says. "With 39 international awards behind its name, the Market Theatre may geographically be situated in Johannesburg, but as...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.