THE production, Yellowman, is on at the Market Theatre at Newtown in Johannesburg after a successful tour of Holland.
The play, which features David Johnson and Mwenya Kabwe, received acclaimed reviews when it performed at the Market Theatre in January 2008.
The explosive two-hander is written by Dael Orlandersmith and is directed by Lara Bye.
It is about the illicit love between a black American girl from a poor background and a white boy.
It takes you through a journey of sons and fathers who are locked in hatred, good daughters who are banished, young lovers who are doomed for no reason and a community that turns on itself.
The production reveals deep psychological and emotional issues as the cast of two members relate the story.
Though the story is set in the United States, South Africans will relate to it because of our political history.
On the surface, Yellowman is a coming-of-age story, but there is also the theme of internalised racism, where light-skinned men are called yella and perceived to have an easy life and black men with darker skins are made to feel ugly and worthless.
Aside from the sharp critique of social issues and stereotypes, Yellowman also has a little bit of humour.
The play won the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival best production award in 2008.
Kabwe won the best upcoming professional artist award and she was also nominated in the Best Actress category at the Karoo festival as well as at the recent Aardklop Festival in Potchefstroom.
The show ends on February 5.
Exploring racism
THE production, Yellowman, is on at the Market Theatre at Newtown in Johannesburg after a successful tour of Holland.
The play, which features David Johnson and Mwenya Kabwe, received acclaimed reviews when it performed at the Market Theatre in January 2008.
The explosive two-hander is written by Dael Orlandersmith and is directed by Lara Bye.
It is about the illicit love between a black American girl from a poor background and a white boy.
It takes you through a journey of sons and fathers who are locked in hatred, good daughters who are banished, young lovers who are doomed for no reason and a community that turns on itself.
The production reveals deep psychological and emotional issues as the cast of two members relate the story.
Though the story is set in the United States, South Africans will relate to it because of our political history.
On the surface, Yellowman is a coming-of-age story, but there is also the theme of internalised racism, where light-skinned men are called yella and perceived to have an easy life and black men with darker skins are made to feel ugly and worthless.
Aside from the sharp critique of social issues and stereotypes, Yellowman also has a little bit of humour.
The play won the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival best production award in 2008.
Kabwe won the best upcoming professional artist award and she was also nominated in the Best Actress category at the Karoo festival as well as at the recent Aardklop Festival in Potchefstroom.
The show ends on February 5.
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