The following version of this book was used to create this study guide: Fugard, Athol. The Island. Oxford University Press, Township Plays Anthology, 2000 Paperback Reissue.

• The Island By Athol Fugard/winston Ntshona/john Kani
• The Island By Athol Fugard Summary
• The Island By Athol Fugard Pdf
• The Island By Athol Fugard Pdf

'The Island' by Athol Fugard 2088 Words 9 Pages The Island (1973) Athol Fugard A Quick Rundown of The Island - The Island is a Fugard play that resorts to the Classics to protest Apartheid. The Island- The Greenhouse Theater Center- Athol Fugard's daring drama is set in an unnamed prison based on the one where Nelson Mandela was held. John and Winston are cellmates who spend their days doing back-breaking labor, and their nights rehearsing Sophocles' Antigone to present to their fellow inmates. Anthol Fugard's famous play 'The Island'directed by Dr. Joe Martin, performed by Said Zarzar and Osama Jabri (Inad Theater). Supported by the South African R. The Island by Athol Fugard. Characters list. Winston made a huge stand against the regime when he burned his passbook in front of the police.

The play is one of several written by Fugard as part of his ongoing anti-racist activism in South Africa, in Africa in general, and around the world.

The play is divided into four scenes. Scene One begins with a prologue-like sequence in which central characters John and Winston enact the various torture-like circumstances in which they find themselves. Then, without a break in the action, the characters are returned to their shared cell, where they tend to each other’s injuries and try to encourage each other to forget about the suffering they experienced that day.

As part of his efforts to distract Winston from his suffering, John tries to get him engaged in their preparations for a performance of the play Antigone that they are offering to the guards and to the other prisoners. Winston does not seem too interested, but John keeps pressing him, asking for his help in constructing a necklace out of used nails for the play’s central character, the princess Antigone, to wear. Their conversation also references the play’s subject matter - Antigone’s struggle against the autocratic power of the State, as represented by her uncle, Creon. John also urges Winston to be more agreeable in his behavior towards the guards. Finally, he engages Winston in a game that they seem to play often, leading each other through imagined stories that remind them of their lives outside prison.

In Scene Two, Winston takes steps in the direction of committing to the Antigone performance, but becomes upset when John laughs at him in his costume. John’s attempts to convince him to get back to the preparations are interrupted by the arrival of a guard, who takes John out of the cell. Alone, Winston muses on his discomfort with the whole Antigone experience, and resolves to tell John again that he will not do it. When John returns, Winston starts to have that conversation, but is interrupted when John tells him that he has been told his sentence has been shortened. The two men celebrate John’s impending freedom, but John cuts the celebration short out of fear that the whole thing might be a trap.

Scene Three is set later that same night. John lies awake counting the days until his release. Winston leads John through an imagining of his return home that is at first a happy story, but then becomes darker and more intense. When John cries out for him to stop, Winston explains that he is afraid of being left alone, and of losing his sense of self and of purpose when John leaves. After a short passage of time, John asks Winston if he remembers his lines for the play. Winston says yes, and they get ready to do the performance of Antigone.

Scene Four is set on the day of the performance. John speaks to the audience, which consists of guards, other authorities, and fellow inmates. He sums up events in the lives of the characters before the play began, and then speaks the play’s first words – those of Creon, the voice of the State whose authority has been challenged by the princess Antigone. Winston then appears, wearing the necklace of nails and dressed in what passes for a costume. Creon (John) and Antigone (Winston) argue over whether Antigone has the right to defy the state. As their argument intensifies, Winston rips off his wig and accepts her punishment, having “honoured those things to which honour belongs” (227).

The play ends with a series of images that echo the circumstances of imprisonment and repression with which the play began.

The Island By Athol Fugard/winston Ntshona/john Kani

Photo Credit: Paul Ruffalo

A pair of Black prisoners use the power of theater and storytelling to survive in a harsh South African prison in The Island. The play, by Athol Fugard, John Kani and Winston Ntshona, was written almost 50 years ago. But its immense power and immediacy resonates in light of the current need for social justice reforms.

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre pairs two strong local actors, DiMonte Henning and Sherrick Robinson, under the direction of Chicago-based director Mikael Burke. Theatergoers can stream a pre-recorded version of the play, which was filmed live on stage, through March 28.

It is no coincidence that the names of the play’s characters, Winston (Henning) and John (Robinson) are the same as those of two of the play’s authors. When the play opened on Broadway in 1974, the production featured these playwrights in the leading roles. The play, which is inspired by true events, went on to win a Tony Award that year. Both actors shared a Tony Award as Best Actor.

Athol Fugard is widely regarded as the theatrical voice for human rights in his country. He is best-known for some of his other work, such as Master Harold … and the Boys (1982) and The Road to Mecca (1984). But in The Island, he creates a powerful, intense and thought-provoking drama that is certain to rivet audiences to their virtual screens. This is also a play about an unlikely friendship that’s about to be tested.

The play is set in an unnamed prison, which is widely believed to be South Africa’s notorious Robben Island prison. This is where Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years. It is a place designed to break the spirits of those jailed there, and the opening scene explains why.

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Two men, clad in roughly made, sand-colored shirts and shorts, silently mimic the process of digging holes and transporting dirt in wheelbarrows. Although they do not speak, it is clear from their grunts, moans and heavy breathing that this is a difficult task. It is also a pointless one. As one man drags and dumps his dirt into the hole of his partner, the partner does likewise. The two men are forced to repeat a similar procedure every day.

By night, they rehearse in their cell for an upcoming variety show that the prisoners are doing for their guards. It is John who has chosen the play, Sophocles’ Antigone. He has cast himself as Creon, a king who must enforce the state’s laws. That leaves a very reluctant Winston to play the title character, and who must wear a wig and necklace scavenged from scraps found around the prison.

Winston repeatedly refuses to don a woman’s outfit, as he fears being laughed at. But John calmly prods him on, noting that the play’s message will speak to their fellow prisoners. Antigone rebels against the laws of the state to bury her brother. She realizes that her penalty is death. Creon holds a trial of sorts, with himself as judge and jury. It parallels the real-life situation of the prisoners, who have received long sentences for minor infractions.

The imprisoned men lack any form of entertainment while cooped up in their cell. They are separated from the arts much like today’s performers and audiences are separated from each other in the wake of this pandemic.

Some of the play’s scenes are filled with humor, such as the pretend phone call that John makes to his friends back home. He talks into an empty can. Overhearing the one-way conversation, Winston becomes increasingly animated. He tells John to ask about what is happening in their town, and with their families.

Conflict arises when John learns that an appeal has drastically reduced his sentence. While Winston faces a life sentence, John is going to be released in three months. Winston is initially pleased for his companion, but his feelings soon turn to jealousy. “Your freedom stinks,” he tells the chastened John. Their friendship is tested for the remainder of the play. At the end, they are able to perform a much-simplified version of Sophocles’ drama.

Perfectly Cast

The Island By Athol Fugard Summary

The two-person play, which runs about one hour, 15 minutes, has been perfectly cast with DiMonte Henning and Sherrick Robinson in the roles. From the outset, they give the impression of long familiarity with each other. Although they don’t exactly continue each other’s sentences, their dialogue flows with the informal rhythms of casual conversation. The tension inside their cell is palpable, especially when unseen guards suddenly appear. Both actors are adept at maintaining this tension until the final scene.

It is heartening to see actors return to the stage, which yields a more authentic theatrical experience. Stephen Hudson-Mairet’s set design is a large, square cement floor, with another “concrete” slab as a backdrop. Cor Valentine-Christophe’s lighting adds dimension to the proceedings, as well as signaling daytime vs. nighttime in these gray surroundings. The videography by Studio Gear allows viewers to move seamlessly from close-ups to full-frame images.

The Island By Athol Fugard Pdf

Milwaukee Chamber Theatre is to be commended for doing the hard work necessary during COVID to launch The Island. Viewers who elect to download the play will be glad they did.

The Island By Athol Fugard Pdf

The Island continues through March 28. For online tickets, visit milwaukeechambertheatre.org