HANI: THE LEGACY
Youngsters give life to struggle hero defined by death
In these trying times people need heroes who can be emulated as role models. Who better than the late Chris Hani as reimagined by the Market Theatre Laboratory students, graduates of 2017, in a Gold Ovation Award production in their first professional run presented at the Ramolao Makhene Theatre at the Market Square in Newtown, Johannesburg? Hani: The Legacy originated when lecturer Leila Henriques had to create a play with a group of first-year students for their acting class. "I was inspired by Hamilton and Lin-Manuel Miranda, his philosophy," she says about the hip-hop musical about the life of US founding father Alexander Hamilton. That took her to Hani, a man whose death is better recorded and illustrated than his life. Henriques knew that she had found her inspirational figure, a person today’s youth know very little about. The students started by creating timelines that had to be researched. How, for example, Hani walked 25km to school on Mondays and back on Fridays as a youn...
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.