John Kani
Actor, director and playwright – 76
“I had a drive to be the reflecting surface to my own people. ”
Having performed on the world’s stages for over 50 years, John Kani believes theatre can change the world.
I wanted to go to the University of Fort Hare to study law. But my uncle, who was like my elder brother, was arrested and sent to Robben Island for five years. So my father said, I’m really sorry I can’t help you. I don’t have the money. And then I wondered what was going to happen to my life.
I was working at a Ford Motor company assembling engines when a friend of mine said, “Come, we are going to be doing plays.” I had always enjoyed doing plays at school, because I hated rugby and soccer. So I went to check out the Serpent Players who were working with Athol Fugard. They were doing this play called Antigone so I decided to join them. I remember Athol asking: if the law is unjust, do the people have a right to not obey that law or to protest against that law? And that was the theme of Antigone. There are laws that come from God and there are laws that come from men. That’s why I became an actor.
I had a drive to be the reflecting surface to my own people. That’s what I believed at the time. That art was like a mirror that you hold to society and society sees itself.
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