People are Living There

by Athol Fugard

"In many respects this appears to be an aberrant work. It has neither a Port Elizabeth setting, nor, seemingly, a socio-political context of any significance. It deviates from my other work in still a third it was written more directly from my life than any other play" - Athol Fugard.

Genres: Plays

70 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

About the author

Athol Fugard was a South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright. Acclaimed in 1985 as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world" by Time, he published more than thirty plays. He was best known for his political and penetrating plays opposing the system of apartheid, some of which have been adapted to film. His novel Tsotsi was adapted as a film of the same name, which won an Academy Award in 2005. It was directed by Gavin Hood.
Fugard also served as an adjunct professor of playwriting, acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego.
Fugard received many awards, honours, and honorary degrees, including the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the government of South Africa in 2005 "for his excellent contribution and achievements in the theatre". He was also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Fugard was honoured in Cape Town with the opening in 2010 of the Fugard Theatre in District Six. He received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.

Reviews

[TAP · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for class.

[Atena | آتنا · Rating 4 out of 5]

من گنگم. وقتی اتفاقی می افتد،من فقط نگاه می کنم. حتی موقعی که اتفاقی برای خودم می افتد... من باز فقط نگاه می کنم. یک وقت فکر می کردم کلمه ای که وصف الحال من باشد کرخت است...یعنی اصلا از حس خبری نیست.ولی خیال می کنم این درست نباشد. من مطمئنم که اگر چیزی را دوست می داشتم،و بعد آن را از دست می دادم،یا بلایی سرش می آمد... خلاصه یک فاجعه پیش می آمد... می دانم که این فقط یک احتمال است،ولی مطمئنم که وضع را حس می کردم. مشکل من این است که اعتراض نمی کنم. خیلی از جا در نمی روم. هشیار به جریان نگاه می کنم.فعلا صورتم را فراموش می کنم......

[Rhona Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Done! When I finally got through Fugard's introduction where he spoke more about Boesman en Lena, it actually flowed. The result? We all have blue bums ...

[Aletta Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful read. It faces our biggest existential fear head on. It is uncomfortable, but in a way that gives one a sliver of hope, but only if you choose to take it.

[Sandra Visser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black humour, good pacing. You become concerned about the pathetic characters. I like Millie. Good ending.

[Simon Levy · Rating 3 out of 5]

not one of his best