Theatre and Cultural Struggle in South Africa

"Theatre and Cultural Struggle in South Africa" attempts an analysis of the political and cultural development of apartheid South Africa and looks at the story of majority theatre and its role and function in the resistance to racist and economic oppression and exploitation and in the struggle for freedom and democracy. Its analysis begins with a general overview in the form of the following chapters: "Culture and Social Relations in South Africa before 1976"; "The Struggle for Social Hegemony"; "Alternative Hegemony in the Making"; and "The Development of Theatre in South Africa up to 1976".

There then follow four case studies, selected in order to make the analysis in detail - the play "No-Good Friday", Athol Fugard's collaborative project with Black intellectuals at the end of the 1960s; the immensely influential jazz musical play, "King Kong"; the Black Consciousness play, "Shanti" by Mthuli Shezi; and Workshop '71's hard-hitting jail play, "Survival", in the creation and staging of which Kavanagh played an important role.