On the 21st of August, I was invited by the Department of Social Anthropology at the University of Cape Town to present a paper on the research & development of the play, The Robben Island Bible, with a specific focus on archive & heritage through the voices of the men & women whom I interviewed for the play in 2008 & 2010. Much of the presentation was clips from the original interviews and readings of the play. I examined how archive and culture played [and continues to play] a major role in the development and presentation of the play, its research and the supporting workshops on 'Ethical Leadership.'
I was joined by Professor David Schalkwyk, Academic Director, Global Shakespeare, Queen Mary University of London and University of Warwick and former lecturer at the University of Cape Town. I know David through his book, Hamlet's Dream; I was also joined by Sibongiseni Mkhize, the CEO of the Robben Island Museum for a Q & A that followed the presentation.
I was honoured to have in the audience Kwedie Mkalipi, a former political prisoner on Robben Island as well as a signatoree of Sonny's 'Bible'. I had the honour of interviewing him in 2008.
