Athol Fugard’s Concerning the Life of Babyboy Kleintjies

Please note: We have been informed that The Fugard has announced that it will suspend operations from 29 March until 1 June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this show is unfortunately affected by this announcement. You can read more HERE.

Concerning the Life of Babyboy Kleintjies is set on a Stellenbosch winter’s night.  A trio of beggars – Lappies, Riempie and Vink – sheltering under a road bridge over the Eersteriver are joined by a young vagrant woman, Marie, who brings with her an unexpected find. Their night spent together huddled under the bridge rushes to a violent conclusion during which the beggars and Marie – so too, the actors and the audience – are confronted with harsh truths about themselves and the society we live in.

Joined now by Fourie, this play represents Fugard’s opportunity to fulfill a promise made to Barney Simon and Berthold Brecht nearly sixty years ago.

Concerning the Life of Babyboy Kleintjies is Written and Directed by Athol Fugard and Paula Fourie. Set Design is by Susan Hilferty (Boesman and Lena, Signature Theatre, New York; Blood Wedding, Young Vic, London). Lighting Design is by Mannie Manim, who has lit every first production of an Athol Fugard play in South Africa since 1977.  Costume Design is by Widaad Albertus (‘Master Harold’…And The Boys, Langarm) and Sound Design is by David Classen (Statements After An Arrest Under the Immorality Act, Shakespeare in Love). Associate Designer is Nadine Minaar and Props Master is David Scales. Daniel Galloway co-produces alongside Lamees Albertus and The Fugard Theatre team.

The cast features Royston Stoffels (Aunty Merle the Musical; Krismas van Map Jacobs and TV Suidooster and Arendsvlei) as Lappies; Loren Loubser (God is a Woman; Nasty Womxn, Niqabi Ninja) as Marie; Carlo Daniels (Triple Axel; District Six Kanala; G7: Okwe Bokhwe) as Riempie and  Marlon Swarts  as Vink (Die Kortstondige Raklewe van Anastacia W; In the City of Paradise and TV Sara Se Geheim).

Athol Fugard is an internationally acclaimed playwright director and occasional actor, for over half a century he has written almost forty soul-searing plays with roles for all South Africans which have moved audiences in South Africa and around the world to laughter and tears as they reflected the inhumanity of apartheid. His plays champion truth and a fundamental universal humanity.

Dr Paula Fourie is a writer and research fellow and she also holds BMus and MMus degrees from the University of Pretoria. Fourie currently holds a part-time postdoctoral fellowship at the Bern University of the Arts where she is researching Afrikaans translations of Swiss novels and plays published and performed in South Africa during the apartheid era.

“As part of our 2020 objectives, we are promoting new South African writing as well as celebrating the works of Athol Fugard, our internationally acclaimed giant of South African theatre,” says Lamees Albertus, General Manager and Producer of The Fugard Theatre. “We are delighted to combine these goals in one exciting new production, Concerning the Life of Babyboy Kleintjies.”

Concerning the Life of Babyboy Kleintjies will be performed at The Laboratory at the Adam Small Complex in Stellenbosch from 16 April until 2 May on Tuesday to Saturdays at 8pm. There are 3pm matinees on Saturdays and Sundays and an additional matinee on Wednesday 29 April at 3pm. The Adam Small Complex is at 15 Victoria St, Stellenbosch Central, Stellenbosch.

Tickets from R190 to R250 can be booked through The Fugard Theatre box office on 021 461 4554 or through The Fugard Theatre’s website at www.thefugard.com