Playland

by Athol Fugard

Born in South Africa in 1932, Athol Fugard has an international reputation as a playwright, director and actor. He first came to world attention with his play The Blood Knot written in 1962, originally performed by Fugard himself with Zakes Mokae, and his work continues to be widely performed in Britain, the US and Europe.

Genres: Plays, Drama, Audiobook

63 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 1993

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

[Illiterate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Apartheid. A past full of violence and hatred. Guilt and the difficulty/possibility of healing and reconciliation.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and stark, without Fugard's usual sentimentality. This is a play about guilt, self-loathing, and the elusive nature of absolution. There are subtexts of racial prejudice, as you would expect from Fugard, but the underlying concern is about we come to terms with ghosts (and sins) of our pasts. The dialogue crackles along. A short, engrossing play.

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

South African ‘Odd Couple’

[Michael P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing play about people with contempt for each other breaking through.

[Simon Levy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2nd half more compelling

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A powerful and heart wrenching dialogue between two men in South Africa New Year's eve 1989.
Not my taste though. It was well written and superbly narrated.

Warning: Strong language and descriptive and somewhat disturbing scenes are described.