SOURCE: Mda, Zakes. “Theater and Reconciliation in South Africa.” Theater 25, no. 3 (1995): 38-45.

In the following essay, Mda examines the characteristics of South Africa's “theater of reconciliation,” noting that to truly fulfill such a role, theater must neither ignore nor cling to the past.

In South Africa, a society which has been, for centuries, characterized by racial segregation, political oppression, and economic exploitation, culture has always played a role both to reinforce these conditions and to challenge them. Here I shall attempt to show how the products of our culture, with particular emphasis on theater, have responded to these conditions, and how they can continue to play a meaningful role in the new order. In no way, however, am I trying to be prescriptive in my observations or assertions. Suggesting that the arts have a role to play in transformation does not mean censoring artistic freedom. Whether we like...