When the National Party came into power in 1948, Apartheid began to influence
all facets of South African life, also that of the theatre. This study documents
Apartheid legislation and the resistance against it, then turns to a consideration of
the most important protest dramas. The complex political background is utilized to
identify and discuss three distinct lines of development, represented by the
Afrikaans, English and Black theatre traditions.
The Afrikaans-speaking white playwright was initially part of the Afrikaner's
encompassing struggle for self-determination and self-assertion, where language,
religion and nationalism played a dominant role. After the realization of the
Afrikaner Nationalist ideals the Afrikaans writer gradually developed from mythbuilder
to iconoclast: from "national hero" to "traitor". The resulting Afrikaans
political protest theatre was aimed mainly at fellow Afrikaners and thus usually
took on the guise of a drama of conscience, critically examining the Afrikaner
psyche. Such plays did not advocate the subversion of the political system, but
rather the humanization thereof. It comes from within the system: an examination
of the Afrikaner, his ideas about religion, his ties to the land, his racial fear and
prejudice, and his obsession with racial purity.
The English speaking white playwright was initially represented as the liberal
outsider with a humanitarian concern for the injustices wrought by racial
discrimination, but at the same time sharing a sense of complicity in the situation
and deeply rooted in the country. This complicity evolved into a full acceptance of
responsibility by means of their involvement with black theatre groups, the
establishment and management of non-racial theatres and companies, guidance to
workshops and community projects, as well as the creation and writing of new plays. The criticism expressed predominantly derives from "white" perspectives
on the South African reality (which tend to fix on the colour issue). The exceptions
here are Athol Fugard' s workshop productions, which incorporate the "black
experience" as well.
The Black protest theatre (in its recognizable, Western form) developed late.
Exposing the misery of the black citizen's daily existence under Apartheid, these
works advocated the violent overthrow of the "regime" as the only permanent
solution. Measured against Western standards the plays had a number of flaws:
lack of structure, undisciplined acting and production, repetitive themes, cliches, as
well as a tendency to over-simplify the political problem. The form incorporates
aspects of traditional practices such as story-telling, song, dance, multi-role acting
and ceremonial actions, but the content is determined by the urban, industrialized
experience. Although there are more similarities between the development of the
Black and Afrikaans political protest theatre, co-operation tended to develop
largely between the Black and English theatre.
In the decade after Soweto 1976 political protest dominated the South African
theatre. While this movement did not actually succeed in subverting the "regime"
or even in generating full-scale insurgence against the state, it did have an effect.
Among the economically advantaged and elite white theatregoers, the "black"
theatre fostered an awareness of daily life in the black community, and the "white"
theatre a questioning of the morality of the social, religious and political order.
The same plays provided the broad mass of black audiences with a heightened
awareness of their own identity and self-esteem within the communal escape valve
of public protest. By granting this form of theatre a prominent place in the
ongoing public debate, the daily newspapers markedly increased the theatre's
influence and impact.
Afrikaans: Met die bewindsoorname van die Nasionale Party in 1948 begin Apartheid 'n
invloed op alle vlakke van die Suid-Afrikaanse bestaan uitoefen, ook op die teater.
In hierdie studie word die Apartheidswetgewing en die verset daarteen uiteengesit,
waarna die belangrikste protesdramas van die Afrikaanse, Engelse en Swart teater
afsonderlik as drie ontwikkelingstrome teen hierdie komplekse politieke agtergrond
beskryf word.
Die Afrikaanssprekende blanke dramaturg skryf aanvanklik vanuit die totale
Afrikanerstryd tot selfvestiging en -bevestiging, waarin taal, godsdiens en
nasionalisme sentraal staan. Na die verwesenliking van die AfrikanerNasionalistiese
ideale begin die Afrikaanse skrywer geleidelik ontwikkel van
mitefiseerder tot ikonoklaster: van "volksheld" tot "volksverraaier". Die
Afrikaanse politieke protesdrama is veral teen die mede-Afrikaner gemik, en word
daarom meestal gewetensdrama wat die Afrikanerpsige krities ondersoek. Dit
bepleit nie die omverwerping van die bestel nie, eerder die mensliker-maak
daarvan. Dit kom van binne die sisteem: 'n ondersoek na die Afrikaner, sy
godsdiensbegrip, gebondenheid aan die grond, rasse-vrees en -vooroordeel en sy
obsessie met rasse-suiwerheid.
Die Engelssprekende blanke dramaturg het aanvanklik die indruk gewek van die
liberate buitestaander wat humaniter-besorg die onreg van rasse-diskriminasie
aandui, maar terselfdertyd ook 'n mede-aandadigheid aan die situasie en 'n
geworteldheid in die land ervaar. Hierdie aandadigheid ontwikkel tot 'n volle
aanspreeklikheid in die samewerking met swart teatergroepe, die oprig en bestuur
van nie-rassige teaters en geselskappe, optrede _ as leiers van werkwinkels en
gemeenskapsprojekte en die skep en skryf van dramas. Die kritiek kom oorwegend vanuit die "blanke" realiteitbeskouing (wat wesenlik kleurbehep is) met die
uitsondering van Athol Fugard se werkwinkelprojekte waarin die "swart ervaring"
uitgebeeld word.
Die Swart protesteater (in sy herkenbare, Westerse vorm) het 'n laat ontwikkeling
gehad. Dit openbaar die ellende van die alledaagse bestaan van die swartman
onder Apartheid en bepleit die gewelddadige omverwerping van die "regime" as
enigste blywende oplossing. Gemeet aan Westerse standaarde het dit heelwat
gebreke gehad: struktuurloosheid, ongedissiplineerde spel en aanbieding,
herhalende temas, cliches, asook oorvereenvoudiging van die problematiek. Die
vorm daarvan sluit nou aan by tradisionele gebruike soos vertelling, sang, dans,
multi-rolspel en seremoniele handeling. Die inhoud word egter bepaal deur die
stedelike, geindustrialiseerde ervaring. Alhoewel daar meer raakpunte tussen die
ontwikkeling van die Afrikaanse en Swart politieke protesteater is, het
samewerking veral tussen Swart en Engels plaasgevind, en nie tussen Afrikaans en
Swart nie.
In die dekade na Soweto 1976 was daar 'n ontploffing van politieke protesteater.
Dit het nie die omverwerping van die "regime~_ of 'n grootskaalse opstand teen die
staatsgesag veroorsaak nie. Wat wel bereik is, is dat daar deur die "swart" teater
by 'n groep blanke toeskouers, uit die hoer klasse van die samelewing, 'n
bewussyn gekweek is van die daaglikse lewensomstandighede van die
anderskleurige Suid-Afrikaner; deur die "wit" teater 'n bevraagtekening van die
moraliteit van die sosiale, godsdienstige en politieke orde; en by die swart gehore
'n verhoogde bewussyn van die eie identiteit en waarde binne die saambindende
uitlaatklep van openbare protes. Terselfdertyd het die dagblaaie deur hulle
omvangryke verslaggewing hierdie vorm van teater in die openbare debat geplaas
en daardeur die trefkrag en invloed verhoog.
