Kunene and the King

A powerful story of connection 

In post-apartheid South Africa, Lunga Kunene, a no-nonsense, Black caregiver with little patience for privilege or hubris, finds himself providing in-home care for Jack Morris, a celebrated (and stubborn) white actor facing a life-changing diagnosis as he rehearses for the title role in King Lear. The two men are different in every way — race, class and politics, to start — yet they find unexpected common ground in the words of Shakespeare. This deeply human drama by Tony winner John Kani, who also plays Kunene, traces the fragile work of truth-telling in a nation still shaped by its history and reveals how transcending the past may allow us to truly see one another. 

Runtime is approximately 1 hour, 40 minutes (no intermission).

All Performance Dates  

Tuesday, 10/13 at 7pm 

Sunday, 10/18 at 7pm 

Sunday, 10/25 at 7pm 

Content Warnings/Age Recommendations

Contains production effects, mature language, depictions and discussions of addiction, and mentions of systemic racism. This performance is recommended for ages 12 and older with parent/guardian discretion.

Themes

Playwright and actor John Kani is still experiencing the intense impact of living under apartheid in South Africa. Many decades later, those experiences still affect him. Yet he has chosen to engage with that history in a creative way, inviting the audience (and collaborating artists) to engage with that history along with him. What value do you see in using art to engage with difficult and complex experiences? Are there examples that you’ve seen in the past?

Accessibility

Many performance venues offer accessibility accommodations such as wheelchair seating, assistive listening, sensory ear plugs, ASL interpretation, open captioning, or audio description, among other options. These accommodations are specific to each event, and may not be available everywhere. When registering with us, please let us know what accommodations you need and we will follow up with you!

Transportation

If you do not have access to a ride, call Project Success and we can provide transportation for you. Please let us know if you need a ride when you make your reservation. We will need at least 2 days’ notice to set up transportation.

Childcare

Childcare is available for this performance. Please let us know if you need childcare when you make your reservation.

Additional Media

Here is a brief clip from a previous production. Playwright and actor John Kani will be in the upcoming production as well.