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Master Harold...and the Boys
The role that won Zakes Mokae a Tony Award brought Danny Glover back to the New York stage for the Roundabout Theatre's revival of this searing coming of age story, considered by many to be Fugard's masterpiece. A white teen who has grown up in the affectionate company of the two black waiters who work in his mother's tea room in Port Elizabeth learns that his viciously racist alcoholic father is on his way home from the hospital. An ensuing rage unwittingly triggers his inevitable passage into the culture of hatred fostered by apartheid.
"One of those depth charge plays [that] has lasting relevance [and] can triumphantly survive any test of time...The story is simple, but the resonance that Fugard brings to it lets it reach beyond the narrative, to touch so many nerves connected to betrayal and guilt. An exhilarating play...It is a triumph of playmaking, and unforgettable."-New York Post
"Fugard creates a blistering fusion of the personal and the political."-The New York Times
"This revival brings out [the play's] considerable strengths."-New York Daily News
"One of those depth charge plays [that] has lasting relevance [and] can triumphantly survive any test of time...The story is simple, but the resonance that Fugard brings to it lets it reach beyond the narrative, to touch so many nerves connected to betrayal and guilt. An exhilarating play...It is a triumph of playmaking, and unforgettable."-New York Post
"Fugard creates a blistering fusion of the personal and the political."-The New York Times
"This revival brings out [the play's] considerable strengths."-New York Daily News
60 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
56 people are currently reading
2,237 people want to read
About the author
Athol Fugard
143books127followersAthol Fugard was a South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright. Acclaimed in 1985 as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world" by Time, he published more than thirty plays. He was best known for his political and penetrating plays opposing the system of apartheid, some of which have been adapted to film. His novel Tsotsi was adapted as a film of the same name, which won an Academy Award in 2005. It was directed by Gavin Hood.
Fugard also served as an adjunct professor of playwriting, acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego.
Fugard received many awards, honours, and honorary degrees, including the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the government of South Africa in 2005 "for his excellent contribution and achievements in the theatre". He was also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Fugard was honoured in Cape Town with the opening in 2010 of the Fugard Theatre in District Six. He received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.
Fugard also served as an adjunct professor of playwriting, acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego.
Fugard received many awards, honours, and honorary degrees, including the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the government of South Africa in 2005 "for his excellent contribution and achievements in the theatre". He was also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Fugard was honoured in Cape Town with the opening in 2010 of the Fugard Theatre in District Six. He received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 389 reviews
March 5, 2020
Book Review
2+ out of 5 stars to , a play written in 1982 by . It pains me to give this work only 2 stars as I know the value it truly brings to highlighting apartheid in South Africa when it needed more attention. Perhaps because I read this when I was still fairly young, I couldn't connect with it. As a younger reader, I often struggled with themes around depression, war, slavery and human rights. I couldn't fathom not treating people equally and fairly, and struggled to read the stories. Might be that I didn't want to feel those emotions or I didn't know how to at the time. With this work, the language, the theme and the overall setting was so unfamiliar to me, I thought it wasn't doing justice to the story and the cause. It was meant for an older audience, and probably if I went back to read it now, I'd like it more. It's interesting to think about how you'd change ratings for books and plays as you age, hence why on my blog, I've created the "what age to read which book by genre" series... to help ensure books receive the best possible attention when being read. That said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this as it wasn't bad; it just fell too flat for me. I suppose the characters were meant to feel like templates... archetypes as opposed to real people suffering... in order to show how this was happening all over in many respects, shapes and forms. In the end, it was work to read it, and when that happens, which is rare, I have to give a lower rating.
Anyone read this who felt differently? What did I miss?
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on ŷ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
2+ out of 5 stars to , a play written in 1982 by . It pains me to give this work only 2 stars as I know the value it truly brings to highlighting apartheid in South Africa when it needed more attention. Perhaps because I read this when I was still fairly young, I couldn't connect with it. As a younger reader, I often struggled with themes around depression, war, slavery and human rights. I couldn't fathom not treating people equally and fairly, and struggled to read the stories. Might be that I didn't want to feel those emotions or I didn't know how to at the time. With this work, the language, the theme and the overall setting was so unfamiliar to me, I thought it wasn't doing justice to the story and the cause. It was meant for an older audience, and probably if I went back to read it now, I'd like it more. It's interesting to think about how you'd change ratings for books and plays as you age, hence why on my blog, I've created the "what age to read which book by genre" series... to help ensure books receive the best possible attention when being read. That said, I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading this as it wasn't bad; it just fell too flat for me. I suppose the characters were meant to feel like templates... archetypes as opposed to real people suffering... in order to show how this was happening all over in many respects, shapes and forms. In the end, it was work to read it, and when that happens, which is rare, I have to give a lower rating.
Anyone read this who felt differently? What did I miss?
About Me
For those new to me or my reviews... here's the scoop: I read A LOT. I write A LOT. And now I blog A LOT. First the book review goes on ŷ, and then I send it on over to my WordPress blog at , where you'll also find TV & Film reviews, the revealing and introspective 365 Daily Challenge and lots of blogging about places I've visited all over the world. And you can find all my social media profiles to get the details on the who/what/when/where and my pictures. Leave a comment and let me know what you think. Vote in the poll and ratings. Thanks for stopping by.
April 30, 2022
Published in 1982, this short play is set in South Africa in 1950. The relationship of a teenaged white boy, Hally, and two African servants in their mid-40s, Sam and Willie, addresses the ugliness of racism, a friendship torn asunder, dashed dreams, hard truths, and a crippled and drunk father. However, I was appalled that Willie believed it was acceptable to beat his girlfriend. Powerful and impressionable leaving you with a quiet hopefulness in its ending. 4.5 stars.
Considered to be one of South African’s greatest playwrights, Athol Fugard has written more than 30 plays and novels, acted, directed, and taught. Many of his plays are political opposing apartheid. Born in 1932, he has received numerous awards for his achievements. The play is believed to be semi-autobiographical. Initially, the play was banned production in South Africa.
Considered to be one of South African’s greatest playwrights, Athol Fugard has written more than 30 plays and novels, acted, directed, and taught. Many of his plays are political opposing apartheid. Born in 1932, he has received numerous awards for his achievements. The play is believed to be semi-autobiographical. Initially, the play was banned production in South Africa.
December 31, 2022
I watched the play version first, and I’d give it a 2/5. Perhaps it’s because there were no subtitles and the tension in the play was just incomparable to the book version,but it didn’t suit my tastes. Starting when the racism started to show in Hally, I started to get very angry at Hally lol I wanted to punch him so bad.
The book version was better, the book didn’t feel as full of tension but I was still mad at Hally to a reasonable degree. I’d give the book around 3.5 for how well it portrays racism and how it can ruin friendships etc
Overall, I think this is one of those books where I don’t really enjoy due to my age. I’d most likely enjoy this literature masterpiece if I were older.
The book version was better, the book didn’t feel as full of tension but I was still mad at Hally to a reasonable degree. I’d give the book around 3.5 for how well it portrays racism and how it can ruin friendships etc
Overall, I think this is one of those books where I don’t really enjoy due to my age. I’d most likely enjoy this literature masterpiece if I were older.
August 10, 2011
This is a powerful play about the damage of apartheid and the corrosive nature of shame. There is no "action" per se, all the dialogue takes place in one setting, the St. George's Park Tea Room, and is spoken by only three characters - two adult black men (Sam and Willie) who work at the tea room and the white seventeen-year-old son of the owner (Hally/Master Harold). It's 1950, and the relationship between the boy and the two men is impressively complicated. They, especially Sam, are the fathers he grew up with but also the "boys" of the play. Hally's own father is a cripple and a drunk, but Hally ends up directing all his anger onto Sam by the end of the play, changing forever the nature of their bond. He is an awful boy, lacking in compassion but deserving ours because we understand what has perverted his heart. What a sorrowful drama.
March 21, 2024
not me counting school books so i can stop being 7 books behind my reading challenge
February 19, 2025
Earlier this month, I came across , smug in their striped blazers, and I thought, “I need to reread Master Harold and the Boys.�
This, after all, is a play about how growing up as a white teenage boy in Apartheid South Africa will turn you into a moral monster. I read it for a high school ethics class when I was Harold/Hally’s age, but I hadn’t revisited it for 20 years.
This time around, I was most struck by the painfully accurate and aggravating characterization of Hally. Even before he says or does anything overtly racist, he’s such a portrait of obnoxious teenage world-weariness and self-righteousness! I’m not sure that I noticed this when I myself was a pretentious teenager, and I have a new appreciation of why my own prep-school teachers assigned it.
I also appreciated that the Black characters, though very patient and affectionate with Hally, aren’t 100% noble victims. We are told that Willie beats his girlfriend (because angry, powerless people will abuse those they perceive as even more powerless than them), and even saintly Sam lashes out at the climax. They are all flawed, and the system is stacked against them, yet they can all yearn for and “dream about a world in which accidents don’t happen� (there is a lovely metaphor about ballroom dancing that runs throughout the play).
With what’s going on in our country, I fully support any American theater company who wants to produce this play in the year 2025—though it is rather difficult to cast an actor who can pass for a teenager and also do a South African accent. I suppose he could listen to recordings of Musk’s voice to get the accent right, but that would merit hazard pay!
This, after all, is a play about how growing up as a white teenage boy in Apartheid South Africa will turn you into a moral monster. I read it for a high school ethics class when I was Harold/Hally’s age, but I hadn’t revisited it for 20 years.
This time around, I was most struck by the painfully accurate and aggravating characterization of Hally. Even before he says or does anything overtly racist, he’s such a portrait of obnoxious teenage world-weariness and self-righteousness! I’m not sure that I noticed this when I myself was a pretentious teenager, and I have a new appreciation of why my own prep-school teachers assigned it.
I also appreciated that the Black characters, though very patient and affectionate with Hally, aren’t 100% noble victims. We are told that Willie beats his girlfriend (because angry, powerless people will abuse those they perceive as even more powerless than them), and even saintly Sam lashes out at the climax. They are all flawed, and the system is stacked against them, yet they can all yearn for and “dream about a world in which accidents don’t happen� (there is a lovely metaphor about ballroom dancing that runs throughout the play).
With what’s going on in our country, I fully support any American theater company who wants to produce this play in the year 2025—though it is rather difficult to cast an actor who can pass for a teenager and also do a South African accent. I suppose he could listen to recordings of Musk’s voice to get the accent right, but that would merit hazard pay!
April 21, 2017
�
Actual rating: 3.5
Awesome.
The simplicity of this play (and its moral message) made it a wonderful read!
Racism is deeply rooted into the human nature, and we cannot get rid of it easily.
Harold would ALWAYS be the 'Master', and his dear friends would ALWAYS remain his slaves 'Boys'!!
Actual rating: 3.5
Awesome.
The simplicity of this play (and its moral message) made it a wonderful read!
Racism is deeply rooted into the human nature, and we cannot get rid of it easily.
Harold would ALWAYS be the 'Master', and his dear friends would ALWAYS remain his slaves 'Boys'!!
January 31, 2011
The impact of this play on me was so much more than expected. I was assigned to read this for English class, so of course I assumed this play would be just another unimportant, mandatory reading assignment. It was so much more than that. This play, set in South Africa during 1950, shows the raw, ugly truth of racism. That it is not just a word which means discrimination against a particular race, it is a thing that breaks friends, families, and societies apart. Hally, a young white man who struggles with a failing relationship with his family, forms friendships with two black servants, Sam and Willie, who are employed by his mother. As the play progresses one starts to question how anyone, could say such horrible things to another human being, and feel they have justification in saying it. This play portrays a harsh reality of how things were, and I would recommend it to anyone.
November 21, 2021
I first read Master Harold…and the Boys in college with an amazing drama professor. I can’t say I love the play (love isn’t the right word), but I’m drawn to it every time I read it.
Sam and Willie are waiters in St. George’s Park Tea Room. They are practicing their dance moves for a ballroom dancing competition. Hally, the owner’s son, arrives in the tea room after school and proceeds to discuss different topics with Sam: philosophy, education, men of magnitude. While all of this is happening, Hally’s mom calls to inform him that she is bringing his dad home from the hospital. His dad is crippled, an alcoholic and eventually revealed to be a racist (although this information isn’t surprising since the play takes place in South Africa in the 1950s). The phone calls from his mom cause friction between Hally and Sam. The play is insightful and painful. The ending packs a punch that leaves you with a broken heart. The dancing metaphor for the world is beautifully written and is definitely a standout section. Some reviewers felt it was a slog to get through or that the racism was too aggressive and uncomfortable. It wasn’t a slog and isn’t anything that talks about racism and its effects going to be uncomfortable? I would definitely suggest reading this play.
Sam and Willie are waiters in St. George’s Park Tea Room. They are practicing their dance moves for a ballroom dancing competition. Hally, the owner’s son, arrives in the tea room after school and proceeds to discuss different topics with Sam: philosophy, education, men of magnitude. While all of this is happening, Hally’s mom calls to inform him that she is bringing his dad home from the hospital. His dad is crippled, an alcoholic and eventually revealed to be a racist (although this information isn’t surprising since the play takes place in South Africa in the 1950s). The phone calls from his mom cause friction between Hally and Sam. The play is insightful and painful. The ending packs a punch that leaves you with a broken heart. The dancing metaphor for the world is beautifully written and is definitely a standout section. Some reviewers felt it was a slog to get through or that the racism was too aggressive and uncomfortable. It wasn’t a slog and isn’t anything that talks about racism and its effects going to be uncomfortable? I would definitely suggest reading this play.
January 6, 2016
I had to read this for my world literature class and it is now my absolute favorite play. It's short but powerful as it tugs at the reader's humanity. Despite it's broad themes of racism, coming of age, and family dysfunction, the play manages to be personal and affect the reader in the issue most important to them. For me, it was the coming of age aspect. It's bittersweet ending remains hopeful for a better tomorrow. I absolutely cherished this read.
June 13, 2019
Q2: All the world's a stage: 2. Read a play that has been written in your lifetime.
You don't know all of what you've just done... Master Harold. It's not just that you've made me feel dirtier than I've ever been in my life... I mean, how do I wash off yours and your father's filth?... I've also failed. A long time ago I promised myself I was going to try and do something, but you've just showed me... Master Harold... that I've failed.
February 2, 2019
Second time through. This play has such a slow build, but oh, that ending.
My sophomores are doing a wonderful job digging deeply into this short but powerful play.
My sophomores are doing a wonderful job digging deeply into this short but powerful play.
July 4, 2023
i don’t fancy the disconnect between fugard’s writing style in the first two thirds of the book & the last third of the play. moreover, i wish this book expanded on the scenes, emotions & atmospheres in the last third of this play. it really had so much potential only when it reached the end.
June 11, 2016
I honestly first thought that this was some sort of parody or modernization of Mother Courage and her Children, purely from the similarity of the titles. Never have I been so wrong. This play focuses far more on aspects of philosophy, race, and politics- all between three characters and withing a relatively small amount of pages. I've really grown to like these plays with very small casts, showing how focused it can be on those characters. And the dialogue is really good. Some highlights for me were in the parts where Hally would talk to his mother and father on the phone. In the right hands, these could be some really emotionally-charged segments. This is one play you definitely shouldn't miss out on reading.
Read
July 10, 2017 “Anybody who thinks there's nothing wrong with this world needs to have his head examined. Just when things are going all right, without fail someone or something will come along and spoil everything. Somebody should write that down as a fundamental law of the Universe. The principle of perpetual disappointment. If there is a God who created this world, he should scrap it and try again.�
May 26, 2007
A privileged white kid learns that racism exists in South Africa. Ho Hum.
January 14, 2023
i liked you and then loved you
December 14, 2024
"Master Harold" and the Boys has been on my TBR for awhile now, sitting on the sidelines as I've gotten to numerous other plays first. I think I was a little put off by a white author writing about a white boy experiencing big feelings around racism (which is something that makes me raise an eyebrow even when the play is forty years old and set thirty years before that), but this is surprisingly tactful in the ways it deals with difficult subjects. The protagonist really feels more like Sam (played by the great Keith David in the audio version I listened to), and we spend time following all three characters as the trauma that Hally is going through leaves him taking his feelings out on Sam and Willie because they're convenient targets as Black servants to his family and society has placed him in the position for this to be an outlet for him. It's impossible not to empathise with Sam and Willie as they see this boy they cared about grow into a man who represents everything that is wrong with a 1950 South Africa. Hally is surprisingly sympathetic despite his cruelty because you can still see traces of the hurting young boy in the man meting out casual and virulent racist remarks at the only adults in his life who have really cared for him. The literal and allegorical ballroom dancing conversations are some of the highlights of the play, showing different ways to look at the world.
Is it perfect? No. But it's emotionally impactful, and it really shows the ways in which casual cruelty becomes embedded in an apartheid society. There's a lot of value in this play, and it's worth the read. I'll definitely check out more from Athol Fugard in the future, but I also hope to experience more literature (including plays, naturally) from Black South African authors and playwrights.
Is it perfect? No. But it's emotionally impactful, and it really shows the ways in which casual cruelty becomes embedded in an apartheid society. There's a lot of value in this play, and it's worth the read. I'll definitely check out more from Athol Fugard in the future, but I also hope to experience more literature (including plays, naturally) from Black South African authors and playwrights.
November 9, 2022
Racism. The shame of whites. The dreams of blacks.
April 5, 2016
You would think a little 50 page play with just 3 characters, set in a a single room, with a run-time of barely 100 minutes, would be inadequately equipped to comment on something as nuanced and systemic as Apartheid. You would be wrong.
Everything great about this play stems from its supposed "littleness". Unlike, say Tony Kushner's epics, Master Harold is least bothered with the spectacle. It's less about the horrible, shocking tales of slavery and segregation, and more about the ways hatred manifests in the small, daily things. Everything about this play is a microcosm, a masterclass in minimalist writing.
That tea room in 1950's South Africa and those three men are all you'll need -not just to understand the basic problem- but to understand the origin of hate itself. And here's Fugard's piece de resistance: Hally, the person doling out the hate, is likable, intelligent and charming from the start. And once you're bound to the character like that, Fugard forces you to bear witness to his racism and still continue empathizing with him.
It's a ride - with snappy, light language that flows so easy. This will take you literally an hour to read, tops. Read.
P.S: there's also a metaphor in here -comparing ballroom dancing to wars and global conflicts - which is totally going down in the list of my favorite metaphors.
Everything great about this play stems from its supposed "littleness". Unlike, say Tony Kushner's epics, Master Harold is least bothered with the spectacle. It's less about the horrible, shocking tales of slavery and segregation, and more about the ways hatred manifests in the small, daily things. Everything about this play is a microcosm, a masterclass in minimalist writing.
That tea room in 1950's South Africa and those three men are all you'll need -not just to understand the basic problem- but to understand the origin of hate itself. And here's Fugard's piece de resistance: Hally, the person doling out the hate, is likable, intelligent and charming from the start. And once you're bound to the character like that, Fugard forces you to bear witness to his racism and still continue empathizing with him.
It's a ride - with snappy, light language that flows so easy. This will take you literally an hour to read, tops. Read.
P.S: there's also a metaphor in here -comparing ballroom dancing to wars and global conflicts - which is totally going down in the list of my favorite metaphors.
July 24, 2013
Fugard manages to not only create a convincng domestic drama, but situates it incredibly well into the political milieu of the period in which he wrote.
His symbolism though understated is nevertheless powerful, and compelling events such as the kite flying scene are rightfully well known, not only for their metaphysical importance but also for the simplicity of the human drama that they convey.
The play is oblique at times, but all the more powerful as a result, as it focuses the audience or readers perception onto the tiny matters and affairs of the characters that create a comprehensive whole.
The dialogue is fast moving and natural, and is lenient with interpretation whilst still retaining its essential meaning. Though there have been a variety of preformances, the characters (despite differing interpretations) remain ostensibly the same due to the meanings being conveyed.
This is definitely one of the iconic plays of South Africa, and deservedly so. It was made into a movie starring Freddie Highmore, so even if you're not lucky enough to be able to attend a performance it is still available to be watched.
His symbolism though understated is nevertheless powerful, and compelling events such as the kite flying scene are rightfully well known, not only for their metaphysical importance but also for the simplicity of the human drama that they convey.
The play is oblique at times, but all the more powerful as a result, as it focuses the audience or readers perception onto the tiny matters and affairs of the characters that create a comprehensive whole.
The dialogue is fast moving and natural, and is lenient with interpretation whilst still retaining its essential meaning. Though there have been a variety of preformances, the characters (despite differing interpretations) remain ostensibly the same due to the meanings being conveyed.
This is definitely one of the iconic plays of South Africa, and deservedly so. It was made into a movie starring Freddie Highmore, so even if you're not lucky enough to be able to attend a performance it is still available to be watched.
October 16, 2021
I teach this play every other year and don't feel like writing a review this year. Perhaps I'll come back to it in 2018. =)
It's 2019 and I still don't feel like writing a review, but I will say that the content of the play is still relevant to today. It's unfortunate and disheartening that marginalized groups are still being oppressed and terrorized in 2019.
2021- One thing that stood out this reading is the use of literary devices/techniques. For the most part, the play is pretty straight forward, but the use of humor, irony, tone, and symbolism stood out a bit more.
It's 2019 and I still don't feel like writing a review, but I will say that the content of the play is still relevant to today. It's unfortunate and disheartening that marginalized groups are still being oppressed and terrorized in 2019.
2021- One thing that stood out this reading is the use of literary devices/techniques. For the most part, the play is pretty straight forward, but the use of humor, irony, tone, and symbolism stood out a bit more.
June 7, 2016
This is very interesting and satisfying play about a privileged white teen and two black servants in South Africa having an extended conversation, and set during apartheid. There are some high points, beautiful imagery in a monologue about ballroom dancing and also ugly pugilistic behavior which is fitting considering the setting. However, I dislike it when themes and morality are heavy handed. It's a good play but perhaps I would need to see it performed.
July 13, 2015
Very quick read that touches on family heritage, racism, and adolescence changes. This script has a flow that makes one finish it quickly and it leaves the reader with questions they must answer themselves. The imagery of this being performed live is what gives it such strong power as at times you can get carried along as these men imagine a separate world with you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2015
I am really enjoying teaching this book. It felt like a risk since its such a talky play, but We seen to me able to do interesting things with it.
Love me some kites and politics.
Love me some kites and politics.
June 30, 2024
I loved this play. I started off thinking it was going to be rather predictable and slow, but I ended up becoming absolutely hooked. It’s incredibly impressive.
Set in 1950s apartheid-era South Africa, the play delves into themes of racism, friendship, and power dynamics, capturing the complex and m painful realities of life under an oppressive regime.
The play takes place in a small tea shop owned by Hally's (Harold's) parents. The story unfolds over the course of an afternoon and revolves around the interactions between Hally, a 17-year-old white boy, and two black employees, Sam and Willie. The intimate setting and limited timeframe allow for a deep exploration of the characters' relationships and the social context they inhabit. I love plays like this. It’s amazing how authors write things in these settings and pull it off. I think only the very best can do it.
The play portrays the ingrained prejudices of apartheid and how they permeate every aspect of life. The relationship between Hally and Sam is central to this exploration. Sam has been a surrogate father figure to Hally, teaching him life lessons and providing emotional support- Sam has been close to Hally since he was very young, and even made him a kite to play with and reads books with him. However, the inherent power imbalance in their relationship due to the racial hierarchy becomes painfully evident as the play progresses, something I found incredibly disturbing to witness. Racism, even between people who are meant to be friends or family, is all so normalised.
The play highlights how deeply ingrained racial prejudices and societal norms can infiltrate and damage personal relationships. Despite the apparent friendship and mutual respect between Hally, Sam, and Willie, the power dynamics and societal conditioning eventually surface, revealing the deep-seated racism that apartheid fosters. This is well illustrated when Hally, influenced by his frustrations and societal conditioning, demands that Sam and Willie call him "Master Harold," thereby reinforcing the racial hierarchy and power imbalance. The play poignantly demonstrates how racism is normalized and perpetuated, even in relationships that are supposed to transcend such boundaries. Hally doesn’t question how this change may be perceived by Sam and Willie. He doesn’t consider how they see him.
Athol Fugard, born in 1932 in South Africa, is renowned for his plays that critique the apartheid system and explore the human condition within this oppressive framework. Fugard’s own experiences growing up in South Africa greatly influenced his work. This play is partly autobiographical, reflecting Fugard’s personal history and his relationship with a black man who worked for his family.
Fugard's mother ran a tea room, much like the setting of the play, and he had a close bond with a black employee who acted as a mentor and father figure to him. This relationship served as a key inspiration for the play, allowing Fugard to draw on his own feelings of guilt and regret over the injustices of apartheid.
Fugard’s plays are characterized by their raw honesty and deep empathy for his characters, shedding light on the social injustices of his time while also exploring universal themes of humanity, dignity, and redemption.
Despite its specific historical and geographical context, the themes of the play resonate universally, making it a timeless piece that speaks to issues of power, privilege, and human connection. Fugard’s masterful storytelling and rich character development give audiences a chance to reflect on their own prejudices and the societal structures that perpetuate inequality, and what prejudices and oppression they may take part in withholding without realising it.
Set in 1950s apartheid-era South Africa, the play delves into themes of racism, friendship, and power dynamics, capturing the complex and m painful realities of life under an oppressive regime.
The play takes place in a small tea shop owned by Hally's (Harold's) parents. The story unfolds over the course of an afternoon and revolves around the interactions between Hally, a 17-year-old white boy, and two black employees, Sam and Willie. The intimate setting and limited timeframe allow for a deep exploration of the characters' relationships and the social context they inhabit. I love plays like this. It’s amazing how authors write things in these settings and pull it off. I think only the very best can do it.
The play portrays the ingrained prejudices of apartheid and how they permeate every aspect of life. The relationship between Hally and Sam is central to this exploration. Sam has been a surrogate father figure to Hally, teaching him life lessons and providing emotional support- Sam has been close to Hally since he was very young, and even made him a kite to play with and reads books with him. However, the inherent power imbalance in their relationship due to the racial hierarchy becomes painfully evident as the play progresses, something I found incredibly disturbing to witness. Racism, even between people who are meant to be friends or family, is all so normalised.
The play highlights how deeply ingrained racial prejudices and societal norms can infiltrate and damage personal relationships. Despite the apparent friendship and mutual respect between Hally, Sam, and Willie, the power dynamics and societal conditioning eventually surface, revealing the deep-seated racism that apartheid fosters. This is well illustrated when Hally, influenced by his frustrations and societal conditioning, demands that Sam and Willie call him "Master Harold," thereby reinforcing the racial hierarchy and power imbalance. The play poignantly demonstrates how racism is normalized and perpetuated, even in relationships that are supposed to transcend such boundaries. Hally doesn’t question how this change may be perceived by Sam and Willie. He doesn’t consider how they see him.
Athol Fugard, born in 1932 in South Africa, is renowned for his plays that critique the apartheid system and explore the human condition within this oppressive framework. Fugard’s own experiences growing up in South Africa greatly influenced his work. This play is partly autobiographical, reflecting Fugard’s personal history and his relationship with a black man who worked for his family.
Fugard's mother ran a tea room, much like the setting of the play, and he had a close bond with a black employee who acted as a mentor and father figure to him. This relationship served as a key inspiration for the play, allowing Fugard to draw on his own feelings of guilt and regret over the injustices of apartheid.
Fugard’s plays are characterized by their raw honesty and deep empathy for his characters, shedding light on the social injustices of his time while also exploring universal themes of humanity, dignity, and redemption.
Despite its specific historical and geographical context, the themes of the play resonate universally, making it a timeless piece that speaks to issues of power, privilege, and human connection. Fugard’s masterful storytelling and rich character development give audiences a chance to reflect on their own prejudices and the societal structures that perpetuate inequality, and what prejudices and oppression they may take part in withholding without realising it.
April 23, 2017
This was a quick, easy play to read. It was interesting, but it won't have a long lasting impact on me.
"Anybody who thinks there's nothing wrong with this world needs to have his head examined. Just when things are going all right, without fail someone or something will come along and spoil everything. Somebody should write that down as a fundamental law of the Universe. The principle of perpetual disappointment. If there is a God who created this world, he should scrap it and try again."
"Anybody who thinks there's nothing wrong with this world needs to have his head examined. Just when things are going all right, without fail someone or something will come along and spoil everything. Somebody should write that down as a fundamental law of the Universe. The principle of perpetual disappointment. If there is a God who created this world, he should scrap it and try again."
June 21, 2018
Thoughtful play about the relationship between a white boy and two black men in apartheid-era South Africa. The play was Fugard's way of working through his own complicity in the white supremacy surrounding him during his childhood years. It shows how his family's servants helped him begin to grow up--and also grow beyond his early racist ideology and behavior.
December 26, 2024
honestly parts in the middle were a bit glossed over (plays can be that way for me lol) but if i were to go back i would want to read more about tolstoy and nietschze in the context of this play ie why hally and sam mentioned it
bench metaphor at the end was top tier though i really thought it appealed to any reader
made me want to learn more about apartheid too
bench metaphor at the end was top tier though i really thought it appealed to any reader
made me want to learn more about apartheid too
April 14, 2018
Read this since the IB juniors will be reading this in English and I teach apartheid in 12th grade. It was poignant and reveals lessons still relevant to this day. Can’t wait to hear what the kids think.
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