A LYRICAL LEGACY

Nandi Mandela on the new musical celebrating her grandfather Nelson’s extraordinary life and work

My grandfather used to say that music can bring people together. In Africa, people gather and sing for joyous occasions, but we do it when we are sad, too; we sing and dance in protest. So, that is part of what you will see in this musical of his life, which our family has co-produced.

Madiba (our clan name for my grandfather) was a human-rights activist, fighting for freedom for all, and he believed in sitting down to have conversations when we disagree with each other. And while many people know Mandela as the political leader and former president of South Africa, we also want to explore the experiences of Mandela the man. Our aim is to illustrate his life as it was: both the trials and the triumphs.

It is exhilarating to see Madiba’s story on stage at the Young Vic. The show starts with his life before he went to prison when apartheid regulation reared its ugly head. We follow his arrest and subsequent events, culminating in his release 27 years later. It highlights some of the painful moments during apartheid and gives a perspective to the sacrifices he had to go through to bring in a new democracy.

The rhythms of South Africa are embedded in the scenes and brought to life in the performance. The songs carry a message, and I want the audience to take a piece of the musical with them – an element from Madiba’s life that resonates with them – and try to do something with it to influence people in their communities. We all have a role to play in making the world better, and kindness and warmth should prevail. ‘Mandela’ is at the Young Vic (www.youngvic. org) from 29 November to 4 February 2023.