In a play named “Kunene” and the king, seasoned actor and playwright John Kani is anticipated to enthrall Durban theatergoers for the entire week. The play opened on Saturday and will continue through Sunday at the Playhouse theater in Durban.
Linda Bukhosini, chief executive officer and creative director of the Playhouse Company, expressed her delight at having a local production that showcased the best South African performers and noted that it was locally conceived and produced by some of South Africa’s top performers.
She claimed that Lungiswa Plaatjies provided the music for this outstanding production, which was directed by Janice Honeyman and starred John Kani and Michael Richard.
“Marking 25 years since the country’s first post-apartheid democratic elections, the play becomes an exploration of race, class, politics, theatre and the potentially unifying power of Shakespeare,” stated Bukhosini.
As Jack Morris, played by Michael Richard, an ageing actor with a bad liver condition tries to make it to Cape Town to perform King Lear. Kani is actually Lunga Kunene, a retired actor who was hired by a company to care for this erratic performer. The drama, written by Kani, examines the psychological effects of the seeming new equality and is set 25 years after the nation’s first democratic elections following apartheid.
