Author: Athol Fugard
Publisher: Human & Rousseau (2015)
ISBN-10: 0798169931
ISBN-13: 9780798169936
Condition: As new
Binding: Softcover
Pages: 60
Dimensions: 21.3 x 13.7 x 0.4 cm
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by Athol Fugard
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In 'The Shadow of the Hummingbird’, Fugard explores the loss of innocence and a sense of wonder at the fleeting beauty of the world. The play starts with Oupa delving through his old notebooks in search of a particular entry as he waits on his grandson Boba to arrive for an afternoon visit. He tries to teach Boba about the importance of retaining this innocence by using Plato’s analogy in The Republic of people watching shadows on the wall of a cave.

The play has strong autobiographical roots: Like Fugard, Oupa is a South African living in California. The notebook entries used in the introductory scene of the play were selected from Fugard’s personal notebooks by co-director Paula Fourie. First performed at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, USA, the play was staged in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Bloemfontein in 2014. Fugard returned to the stage for the first time in 15 years to play the role of Oupa.