Blood Knot and Other Plays

Athol Fugard

• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• Year: 1993
• Print ISBN: 9781559360203
• eBook ISBN: 9781559366878
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: African Drama
• Index: Literature

Three plays that solidified Athol Fugard's indelible mark on theatre.

The brothers of Blood Knot—one dark-skinned, one light—betray their dreams of a better future with the impossible wish of passing for white. In Hello and Goodbye, a poor white brother and sister churn through their once-promising past to comprehend their bleak present. Boseman and Lena, a black husband and wife, trudge through a severe and unforgiving landscape, discovering strength and recovering devotion through an encounter with a mysterious old African.

These three Port Elizabeth plays, which established South African playwright Athol Fugard's international reputation over 60 years ago, examine with passion and grace close family relationships strained almost unendurably by the harshest of economic and political conditions.

BLOOD KNOT __

The Blood Knot (original title) was first presented in the United States by Sidney Bernstein and Lucille Lortel at the Cricket Theatre on March 2, 1964, under the direction of John Berry. Set design was by John Bury, costume design by Martha Gould and lighting design by Harold Baldridge. The cast was as follows:

MORRIS	J.D. Cannon
ZACHARIAH	James Earl Jones

The play’s world premiere took place at the Rehearsal Room of the African Music and Drama Association, Johannesburg, South Africa, September 3, 1961, under the author’s direction and with the following cast:

MORRIS	Athol Fugard
ZACHARIAH	Zakes Mokae

The 25th Anniversary Production of the revised Blood Knot was produced by the Yale Repertory Theatre, New Haven, Connecticut, September 17, 1988, also under the author’s direction. Sets were designed by Rusty Smith, costumes by Susan Hilferty and lights by William B. Warfel. Mr. Fugard and Mr. Mokae recreated their original roles.

CHARACTERS

MORRIS

ZACHARIAH

Zachariah is dark-skinned and Morris is light-skinned.

All the action takes place in a one-room shack in the “non-white location” of Korsten, Port Elizabeth. The walls are a patchwork of scraps of corrugated iron, packing-case wood, flattened cardboard boxes, and old hessian bags. One door, one window (no curtains), two beds, a table and two chairs. Also in evidence is a cupboard of sorts with an oil-stove, a kettle and a few pots. The shack is tidy and swept, but this only enhances the poverty of its furnishings. Over one of the beds is a shelf on which are a few books (including a Bible) and an alarm-clock.

SCENE ONE

Late afternoon.

Lying on his bed, the one with the shelf, and staring up at the ceiling, is Morris. After a few seconds he stands up on the bed, looks at the alarm clock, and then lies down again in the same position. Time passes. The alarm rings and Morris jumps purposefully to his feet. He knows exactly what he is going to do. First, he winds and resets the clock, then lights the oil stove and puts on a kettle of water. Next, he places an enamel washbasin on the floor in front of the other bed and lays out a towel. He feels the kettle on the stove and then goes to the door and looks out. Nothing. He wanders aimlessly around the room for a few more seconds, pausing at the window for a long look at whatever lies beyond. Eventually he is back at the door again and, after a short wait, he sees someone coming. A second burst of activity. He places a packet of footsalts beside the basin and finally replaces the kettle.

Zachariah comes in through the door. Their meeting is without words. Morris nods and Zachariah grunts on his way to the bed, where he sits down, drags off his shoes, and rolls up his trousers. While he does this, Morris sprinkles footsalts into the basin and then sits back on his haunches and waits. Zachariah dips his feet into the basin, sighs with satisfaction, but stops abruptly when he sees Morris smile. He frowns, pretends to think, and makes a great business of testing the water with his foot.

ZACHARIAH. Not as hot as last night, hey?

MORRIS. Last night you said it was too hot.

ZACHARIAH [thinks about this]. That’s what I mean.

MORRIS. So what is it? Too hot or too cold?

ZACHARIAH. When?

MORRIS. Now.

ZACHARIAH. Luke-ish. [Bends forward and smells.] New stuff?

MORRIS. Yes.

ZACHARIAH. Let’s see.

[Morris hands him the packet. Zachariah first smells it, then takes out a pinch between thumb and forefinger.]

It’s also white.

MORRIS. Yes, but it is different stuff.

ZACHARIAH. The other lot was also white, but it didn’t help, hey?

MORRIS. This is definitely different stuff, Zach. [Pointing.] See. There’s the name. Radium Salts.

[Zachariah is not convinced. Morris fetches a second packet.]

Here’s the other. Schultz’s Foot Salts.

ZACHARIAH [taking the second packet and looking inside]. They look the same, don’t they? [Smells.] But they smell different. You know something? I think the old lot smells nicest. What do you say we go back to the old lot?

MORRIS. But you just said it didn’t...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Blood Knot
• Hello and Goodbye
• Boesman and Lena
• Glossary