Legacy Playwright Athol Fugard returns to Signature with
the World Premiere of The Painted Rocks at Revolver
Creek, suggested by the work of “Outsider Artist”
Nukain Mabusa. Between the mid-1960s and 1980, Mabusa,
a farm laborer in South Africa, decorated the rocks and
boulders behind his hut with vibrant geometric patterns.
In The Painted Rocks at Revolver Creek, Fugard uses a
confrontation over Mabusa’s remarkable legacy to explore
the fundamental misunderstandings that continue to divide
South Africa – and to suggest the possibility of change.
Between casting sessions, he sat down with Literary
Associate Nathaniel French to discuss the production’s
origins, how his work resonates with New York audiences,
and the process of discovering a play’s potential.
Signature: What were some highlights of your 2012
Residency One Season at Signature?
at it.” And I went online, and the moment I saw what Mabusa
Athol Fugard: Well, really discovering the wonderful quality of
And at that point – it was three or four years ago – I sketched
American audiences, especially New York audiences. The first
out a rough draft of a play, which at that time I called Visions.
of the three plays we did was Blood Knot, which is now very
And then, as is the case with quite a lot of my work, it ended
flatteringly described as a “modern classic.” It’s had a long his-
up in the bottom drawer. Not disposed of, not deleted or torn
tory and I think it’s going to outlive me. But I’m a regional sto-
up, but just put aside. And then Signature Founding Artistic
ryteller, first and foremost. To discover that the stories of my
Director Jim Houghton invited me to come back and work on
backyard (which is the Eastern Cape of South Africa), to find
something. And he said, “I’ve got a date for you.” And it created
that that play resonated so strongly with American audiences
a kind of urgency in the writing of the work. I was very con-
was a very, very moving and important experience for me.
scious in the writing of it that I’ll be eighty-three in June, and
had achieved, I realized I was in the presence of a fellow artist.
that sooner or later I’m going to have to say, “This is the last
S: How did Painted Rocks come about?
one.” So, for all I know, Nukain Mabusa and The Painted Rocks
AF: A South African friend of mine, an artist, said, “Have
at Revolver Creek might in fact be my farewell to the stage.
you seen any pictures of the work of Nukain Mabusa?”
And I said, “No, I don’t even know the name.”
He said, “Well, go online and have a look
(below): Zakes Mokae and
Danny Glover in “Master Harold”…
and the boys at Yale Repertory
Theatre, 1982.
(right): Athol Fugard in
The Shadow of the Hummingbird
at Long Wharf Theatre.
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