Arts writer
DUE to overwhelming demand the Fugard Theatre has announced five additional performances of The Shadow of The Hummingbird, that stars Athol Fugard himself and introduces Marviantos Baker, from August 27 to 30.
Fugard takes on the role of Oupa, a retired South African teacher living in self-imposed exile in Southern California, and is joined onstage by Baker, playing his grandson, Boba. During the course of one afternoon spent together, Oupa and Boba leap across a generational divide to teach and be taught.
Inspired by Fugard’s relationship with his own grandson, Gavyn, this intimate play has deep autobiographical roots.
“People have begun to ask in the past couple of years whether my storytelling has shifted from the political to the personal,” Fugard mused. “My answer has always been – once you reach 80, the time has arrived for a little bit of housecleaning. After all, as Oupa says at the start of the play, ‘The final landscape is within.’ ”
l Tickets are R110 to R150. Call 021 461 4554.