Quick facts

The story

It’s not about a gorilla. It tells the story of a heavyweight boxer

Opening

It opened on February 2 1959 in the Great Hall at Wits University, with a 72strong allblack cast

Apartheid

White and black audience members had to sit in alternate rows

Mandela

Nelson Mandela was at the premiere with his pregnant wife, Winnie. During the interval he congratulated lyricist Todd Matshikiza ‘on weaving a subtle message of support for the Treason Trial leaders into the Xhosa lyrics’. Sources: Wikipedia, Young Mandela by David James Smith