Athol Fugard

Athol Fugard

OIS HonFRSL
BornHarold Athol Lannigan Fugard
(1932-06-11) 11 June 1932 (age 92)
Middleburg, Cape Province, South Africa
Occupation
  • Playwright
  • novelist
  • actor
  • director
  • teacher
EducationUniversity of Cape Town (dropped out)
Period1956–present
GenreDrama, novel, memoir
Notable works"Master Harold"...and the Boys
Blood Knot
Spouse
ChildrenLisa, Halle

Athol Fugard OIS HonFRSL (born 11 June 1932) is a South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright.[1] He is best known for his political and penetrating plays opposing the system of apartheid. Some of these have also been adapted for film.

His novel Tsotsi was adapted as a film of the same name and won an Academy Award in 2005. It was directed by Gavin Hood.[2]

Acclaimed in 1985 as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world" by Time,[3] Fugard continues to write. He has published more than thirty plays.

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.[4]

He has received many awards, honours, and honorary degrees, including the 2005 Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the government of South Africa "for his excellent contribution and achievements in the theatre".[5] He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.[6]

Fugard was honoured in Cape Town with the opening in 2010 of the Fugard Theatre in District Six.[7] He received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.[8]

  1. ^ Smith, David (12 August 2014). "Athol Fugard: 'Prejudice and racism are still alive and well in South Africa'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  2. ^ McLuckie, Craig (3 October 2003). "Athol Fugard (1932–)". The Literary Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 25 August 2008. Retrieved 29 September 2008.
  3. ^ Andie Miller (October 2009). "From Words into Pictures: In conversation with Athol Fugard". Eclectica. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  4. ^ "Athol Fugard". University of California, San Diego (UCSD). Archived from the original on 15 May 2008. Retrieved 1 October 2008.
  5. ^ "Harold Athol Lanigan Fugard (1932 -)". 2005 National Orders Awards. South African Government Online (info.gov.za). 27 September 2005. Archived from the original (World Wide Web) on 21 November 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  6. ^ "Fellows". Royal Society of Literature. Archived from the original on 27 April 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2008.
  7. ^ "The Fugard Theatre". Creative Feel. March 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
  8. ^ "Athol Fugard". Encyclopædia Britannica. 24 November 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2020.