National Arts Festival to stage David’ Mamet’s ‘Race’

The National Arts Festivals in association with The Playhouse Company are proud to present Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David’ Mamet’s contentious 2009 play, Race. Produced by special arrangement with Abrams Artists Agency New York, Race will be presented with a star cast of actors in the Graeme College main theatre in Grahamstown. Race will run at the Graeme College main theatre from 02-04 July 2012.

The play’s riveting plot revolves around three lawyers, two partners, one African-American, one white, and their young, African-American law clerk, who are debating whether or not to take the case of a wealthy white man accused of raping an African-American woman. The play, like the case, is not open and shut.

Shame, guilt, class, sex, lies and, of course, race, are all provocatively stirred together in this fast-paced show that is guaranteed to leave theatregoers dissecting and discussing it long after the curtain goes down.

As the playwright wrote in an essay about his work, “Race, like sex, is a subject on which it is near impossible to tell the truth.” Audience members will undoubtedly bring their own set of judgments and preconceptions into this work that delves into a most complicated and fraught subject.

Directed by Clare Mortimer and designed by Sarah Roberts with lighting designed by Mannie Manim. The stellar cast will include Sello Maake Ka-Ncube and Michael Richards in the roles of the legal partners, Henry Brown and Jack Lawson, with Graeme Hopkins playing Charles Stickland, the character accused of rape. Multi-talented actress-singer-dancer, Nondumiso Tembe will appear in the pivotal role of Susan, the young legal intern.

Tickets are available through Computicket. Booking kits will be available from selected Standard Bank branches, selected Exclusive Books and Computicket branches. For more information on the programme, accommodation and travel options visit www.nationalartsfestival.co.za.