In February 2o1o, I aim to continue the development of my play, The Robben Island Bible at the Market Theatre Laboratory in Johannesburg with a three week development period.
The project is divided into three phases:
Phase 1 – Interview Stage (October & November 2oo8) – This phase consisted of interviewing former Robben Island political prisoners. These interviews, along with selected texts from ‘The Complete Works of William Shakespeare,’ will form part of the foundation for the play. This phase culminated in a staged reading at the Richmond Theatre in March 2oo9 featuring John Kani and other members of the cast from the RSC’s The Tempest.
Phase 2 –Script Development (February 2o1o) – This phase will consist of working with South African actors, a South African dramaturge, a South African researcher, a videographer & a producer to develop a script based on interviews and chosen texts and an educational outreach campaign. Further interviews of the former political prisoners will also be conducted and recorded on video for a multi-media exhibition of the play – which will be featured in the reception area of the theatre in which the play is performed. This phase will culminate in a staged reading of the play at the Indiana University Union Board. It will also produce a script for Phase Three.
Phase 3 – Rehearsal & performance of the play along with the presentation of the multi-media exhibit in the foyer of the producing theatre and the launch of an education outreach programme.
I want to showcase Shakespeare’s work to a new audience and to expand the range of Shakespeare’s work in a way that has rarely been explored. I also want to expose the rest of the world, many whom may only recognize the name ‘Mandela,’ to the unsung heroes of the Struggle against Apartheid in South Africa. Each of these most gentle of men has so much to show the world about leadership, citizenship, resistance and reconciliation.
The central idea behind this project is to honour the stories of the former political prisoners who have given of themselves in their interviews. It is the driving force behind my insistence on working in South Africa with South African artists to validate the development of this play.
