Fugard’s ‘Blood Knot’ back with a bang at Baxter
THE multi-award-winning cast and creative team of Athol Fugard's acclaimed play, Blood Knot, will be back at the Baxter Theatre for a limited season this month.
Following its sold-out success at The Market Theatre, the play will run from May 11-28 at 7.30pm, with Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.
The cast and creative team are led by James Ngcobo, who directs Mncedisi Shabangu and Francois Jacobs in the production which recently received five Naledi Theatre nominations, including Best Director, Lead Performance in a Play, Production, Lighting and Sound Design.
The winners will be announced on May 16.
Blood Knot, Fugard's timeless classic, tackles themes of brotherhood and hope, and first premiered in 1961.
Set in the suburb of Korsten in Port Elizabeth – a place packed with people who are desperately trying to find an opportunity that will offer them some hope – the play delves into the bond of love between two brothers, the kind that transcends skin colour.
They are forced to dream as they navigate the intricacies of being stuck in a place that offers them nothing but its squalor and the poverty that they are confronted with every single moment.
“In Blood Knot Fugard unpacks this country in such a brave manner as he weaves together themes that are still so pertinent in our contemporary times,” Ngcobo says.
“He explores our baggage as a nation in a poetic manner that allows us to look at who we are, what we have gone through, and tickles our curiosity about the collective aspirations that we have.
“We have witnessed glimpses of hope popping up from the horizon and then jumped back into despair and hopelessness, which raises a litany of questions ... Do we still have the South African dream or is it a South African delusion?”
With several accolades under his belt, Shabangu has wowed audiences at The Baxter with his performances in
Tshepang, Fishers of Hope, The Inconvenience of Wings and Marat Sade.
Jacobs is no stranger to Fugard's work, having starred in People Are Living There at The Market Theatre in 2015 and while making his directorial debut in 2020 with Victor Gordon's
Brothers.
Mannie Manim is responsible for lighting design, Nadya Cohen for props and set, Noluthando Lobese for costumes and the soundscape is by Dean Pitman.
There is an age restriction of 14 years.
Book through Webtickets online at www.webtickets.co.za or at Pick n Pay stores. F
For discounted block or schools' bookings, charities or fund-raisers contact Carmen Kearns on email camen. kearns@uct.ac.za or call 021 680 3993.