KING KONG

SYNOPSIS

More than half a century after its first performance in 1959, the Fugard Theatre’s revival of this iconic and historic musical played to five-star reviews and rapturous audiences. 

King Kong tells the story of heavyweight fifties boxing champion Ezekiel Dlamini whose self-appointed ring name was “King Kong” to the wildly exhilarating music of Todd Matshikiza.

Born in Vryheid in the then Orange Free State, Ezekiel Dlamini himself became an unwitting symbol for freedom and the wasted power of his people under apartheid. After a meteoric boxing rise Dlamini’s life degenerated into drunkenness and gang violence. In 1957 Dlamini became a classic Greek tragic figure when, in a fit of jealousy, he killed his girlfriend and at his trial asked for the death sentence to serve as a warning to others.

Instead, the white judge, refusing to take instruction from a black defendant, sentenced Dlamini to twelve years hard labour. Three months later King Kong was found drowned in a dam on a prison farm. At 36 years old King Kong had taken his destiny into his own hands and, inadvertently, become a legend.

The original production featured music by Todd Matshikiza, lyrics and original book by Pat Williams and book by Harry Bloom. The revised book (with additional lyrics) is by Academy Award-nominated screenwriter and playwright William Nicholson (Shadowlands, Gladiator, Les Misérables, Sarafina, Long Walk to Freedom). South African choreographer and French Légion d’Honneur recipient Gregory Maqoma choreographed King Kong to the irresistible original music of the late, great South African composer Todd Matshikiza.

The Fugard Theatre’s King Kong was directed by Jonathan Munby, who also directed the Fugard Theatre’s production of A Human Being Died That Night with Noma Dumezweni (the only double Olivier award-winning Southern African actor) amongst many other international productions.