now on bbc news, stephen sackur speaks to south african actor john kani on hardtalk. welcome to hardtalk, i m stephen sackur. for a generation of black south african artists who came of age in the apartheid era, art and activism were intertwined. the liberation struggle was their life force. but now, well, a quarter of a century after mandela became president, things are more complicated. my guess is a giant of south african theatre. john kani s career spans five decades of acting and writing. he s been in hollywood block pastors and is currently starring in his own west play. so how hard is it to tell south africa s post apartheid story? john kani, welcome to hardtalk. thank you very much. right now, in london s west end, you have your own play on. kunene and the king. yes, kunene. i saw it last night and it s great, but, it strikes me that it is full of ambivalence and doubt about today s south africa. is that a right way of seeing it? yes, indeed, it s a critical review of
This longing to attain a self conscious manhood, to merge his double self into a better and truer self. And in the merging, he desires neither of the older selves to be lost. He would not africanize america, for america has too much to teach the world and africa. He would not bleach his negro soul in the flood of white americanism, for he knows that negro blood has a message for the world. He simply wishes to make it possible for a man to be both a negro and an american without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows and without having the door of opportunity closed roughly in his face. So. No matter the smile, no matter the grin, no matter the bow, there is no safety. No hiding place. No matter what mask we wear, we blacks are damned if we do and damned if we dont. As Ralph Ellison says in the beginning of his novel, invisible man, we black americans have no guarantee that we exist at all. I am an invisible man. No, im not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allan Poe nor am i one
Here lies jacob at the end of the road. This man with his bare hands, he has built the highways, the tunnels, the bridges of this country. And with his bare feet, he printed all those footpaths running through the bush and farms. Here lies jacob at the end of the road. He said to those mothers squatting next to the grave, with their eyes solemn and the veils on their faces, he said, wipe your tears, my sisters. Lift up your veils. Stand up. Stand up, my brothers, and let us all sing. Let us sing because jacob, at last, is a better man. He hasnt got our troubles, he hasnt got our problems because jacob, at last, has reached home. Thats the home for the black man, is when they dig a hole to bury him, is when they press our face against the cold earth and we smile with our teeth out. That will be the only time we will be happy, brother, is when we are dead. Let me do you a favor. Have you ever been to skys place . Come with me. Ill do you a few shots there. Lets go drown our sorrows at sk
It is about liz30am, you are pretty much up to date. Now on bbc news, Stephen Sackur speaks to South African actor john kani on hardtalk. Welcome to hardtalk, im Stephen Sackur. For a generation of black South African artists who came of age in the apartheid era, art and activism were intertwined. The liberation struggle was their life force. But now . Well, a quarter of a century after mandela became president , things are more complicated. My guest is a giant of South African theatre. John kanis career spans five decades of acting and writing. Hes been in hollywood blockbusters and is currently starring in his own west end play. So how hard is it to tell south africas post apartheid story . John kani, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you very much. Right now, here in londons west end, you have your own play on. Kunene and the king. Yes, kunene. I saw it last night and its great, but, it strikes me that it is full of ambivalence and doubt about todays south africa. Is that a right way of se
There will be a lot of sunshine away from the showers. Hardtalk. But some of the showers are going to feed in thick and fast welcome to hardtalk, im stephen sackur. For a generation of black South African artists and that will mea accumulations of snow, who came of age maybe even as far south as the moors of the south west, in the apartheid era, across parts of shropshire art and activism were intertwined. The mountains of north wales, and the winds still very gusty too. So that will mean blizzards the liberation struggle and the possibility was their life force. Of drifting snow. So some dangerous conditions but now, well, a quarter to be found across particularly of a century after mandela the northern half of became president , things the uk and it is cold. Factor in the wind, it will feel a little bit chillier are more complicated. Than these highs ofjust 6 8 degrees would imply. Through the evening and overnight, things change just subtly. My guest is a giant the wind will ease a