The Witness: A Tribute to Athol Fugard

Athol Fugard, South Africa's most revered playwright, passed away on the 8th of March 2025. He was 92 years old.

Fugard is internationally renowned for his anti-apartheid plays during the pre-1994 period in South Africa, such as Sizwe Banzi is Dead and The Island. An unashamedly regional writer, Fugard strived to bear witness and give a voice to the voiceless. Many of his plays are set in Port Elizabeth, and his characters are often inspired by those he has known or observed. His frank and unapologetic examination of the lives of his characters transcends the specific time, setting, and context of each play. The themes he explored are universal.

Our tribute to this South African master will include various selected scenes from a number of his plays, with introductions and context provided.

The Dramatic Arts students from Woodridge College who will be performing this tribute will be striving to bring to life his characters, his questions, and his hope for a new generation. Through this tribute, we celebrate not only a master dramatist but a conscience for South Africa and the world. Athol Fugard’s words remain as urgent and necessary as ever, reminding us that theatre, at its best, is an act of witness, empathy, and transformation.