SA Shakespeares on the Short Fuse
Elizabeth Howard, host of The Short Fuse Podcast, was in South Africa recently to learn more about the country’s arts and culture scene. Having interviewed numerous South African writers, musicians, artists, curators and theatre makers over the years, Howard was eager to explore the history of Shakespeare’s reception in the country. She turned to TCC Director Chris Thurman for her latest conversation.
Howard and Thurman covered a lot of historical (and geographical!) terrain: from British colonialism in the nineteenth century to political prisoners on Robben Island in the twentieth century; from Paul Robeson’s Othello on Broadway in 1943 to John Kani’s portrayal of the character at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg in 1987 - and Kani’s son, Atandwa, taking on the role in a 2024 production of Othello at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town!
They also talked about Shakespeare in translation into South African languages, about the place of Shakespeare in South African education, about adaptations of the plays - and much more besides: Sol Plaatje, Lovedale College, B.B. Mdledle, Julius Nyerere. What are the limitations of using Shakespeare for political analogies? Is he really “universal”? And why is Shakespeare like a black hole?
Along the way, there are snippets of John Kani as Othello and as “Sister Kunene”, Lwazi Mayeki delivering “All the world’s a stage” in isiXhosa, and Nelson Mandela speaking from the dock at the Rivonia Trial . . .
You can listen to this episode of The Short Fuse Podcast on Spotify, on Apple Podcasts and on the Short Fuse website.