EDUCATION PACK 2020 Thanks to our supporters 2020 BLACK LOVER CONTENTS BLACK LOVER Introduction Cast Interviews P.04 P.24 Auckland Theatre Company receives principal and core funding from: Synopsis Design P.06 P.28 About the Setting Post-show Activities P.10 P.38 About the Playwright Resources and P.16 Additional Reading ATC Creative Learning also thanks the ATC Patrons and P.39 the ATC Supporting Acts for their ongoing generosity Themes - Religion & Beliefs P.15 ATC Creative Learning P.40 Supported by our university partner - AUT Sir Garfield Todd P.18 Curriculum Links P.41 Director’s Process P.22 Venue: Q Theatre, Loft 350 Queen Street, Auckland Please note School Matinee: Thursday 19 & 26 March and Thursday 2 April at 11am Running Time: 75 minutes, without an interval Photography or recording of any kind is strictly prohibited. • Post-Show In the theatre immediately after the performance • Eating and drinking in the auditorium is strongly discouraged. Forum: (15 - 20mins) • Please make sure all cell phones are turned off. Suitability: This production is suitable for Year Levels 12 & 13 Advisory: Contains sexual references and descriptions of violence • Please don’t bring school bags to the theatre. 2 1 2020 BLACK LOVER CAST Garfield Todd — Cameron Rhodes Steady — Simbarashe Matshe CREATIVE Playwright — Stanley Makuwe Director — Roy Ward Set and Costume Designer — Rachael Walker Lighting Designer — Rachel Marlow Sound Designer — Sean Lynch PRODUCTION Production Manager — Andrew Malmo Company Manager (Maternity Cover) — Nicole Sarah Technical Manager — Sean Lynch Stage Manager — Catherine Grealish Technical Operator — Spencer Earwaker Props Master — Ruby Read Set Construction — 2Construct IN ASSOCIATION WITH: ATC CREATIVE LEARNING Associate Director — Lynne Cardy Youth Arts Coordinator — Mile Fane Teaching Artists — Matthew Kereama and Catherine Yates Education Pack Writer — Billie Staples Education Pack Editor — Lynne Cardy Contributions by Stanley Makuwe Production designs courtesy of Rachael Walker Graphic Design — Wanda Tambrin Production Images — Andi Crown 2 3 2020 2020 BLACK LOVER BLACK LOVER INTRODUCTION He believed that blacks were as In his Introduction to the play, equally capable as whites. This Stanley Makuwe writes: did not go down well with fellow In 1934, New Zealander Garfield whites who labelled him a “traitor” Todd arrived in Zimbabwe (then and a “black lover, “resulting in him Rhodesia) from New Zealand as being abandoned by his whites- a church missionary. He ran the only cabinet. Dadaya New Zealand Churches of In the ‘60s, a new government Christ Mission school and a led by Ian Smith arrested him and clinic where he and his wife, threw him in a prison for blacks. Grace, delivered hundreds of black He was later placed under house babies without any formal medical arrest. training. Todd then got caught This two-character play focuses up in the political wave that on the period when Garfield Todd gripped the small African nation, was under house arrest, the war winning an election to the colonial raging, his family away in Rome parliament in 1948, and then rising for his daughter’s wedding, while to become its prime minister in he was confined to his house with 1953. At the time, the country was his black helper/servant. The play under white minority rule. Black is a historical piece which focuses Africans were not allowed to vote, on race relations in a war-torn and education opportunities were African nation while it looks at limited. one man’s fight for freedom and Todd introduced modest equality in Africa. Though based on reforms aimed at improving the true events, the play is not meant education of the black majority, “... the story remains relevant today to rewrite historical facts as they directing tax-money from white happened, but it is the writer’s as the world fights to eliminate racial property owners and British own imagination of what could colonial authorities towards have been happening in Todd’s discrimination, human rights abuse black schools. He also increased confined and outside surroundings, the number of blacks eligible as well as the mental turmoil of and slavery in favour of equality, to vote from a mere 2 percent being in such an environment. freedomSTANLEY MAKUWE and justice.” to 16 percent of the electorate. 4 5 2020 2020 BLACK LOVER Note: Contains spoilers. This synopsis is intended for use after you BLACK LOVER have seen the show, to recall key events. SYNOPSIS Garfield Todd is alone in his living should go back to his village, the electricity has been cut. As Steady suggests Todd should room on his ranch (Hokonui) in before admitting that he is alone the tension builds outside, Steady return home - to New Zealand. former Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). His in the house and his family are in talks more about his outrage over Tension rises between them as cook, Steady, arrives. He’s escaped Rome for Judy’s birthday. Steady the murder of Tamuka and his son Todd insists that Hokonui Ranch is a roadblock on the journey from comes up with a plan to reunite but Todd doesn’t want to discuss his home. Another phone call, this his village, and out of breath he the family - they should all go to it. He feels unwell. Steady wants to time from an official in the Smith recounts that he witnessed the Rome to surprise Judy and he will get the local doctor, but Todd tells government. Todd is furious with brutal assassination of a village bring the birthday cake! him he’s not allowed any contact the man and when he puts the man by government soldiers. He Todd finally admits that he is with blacks. The phone rings again, phone down Steady insists that says he got away from the soldiers under house arrest and cannot this time its Todd’s wife Grace. they should now leave the ranch. and their dogs by ‘letting his air leave the ranch, or even make We learn that Todd was to make a Steady tells Todd that Ian Smith’s out’ in his underwear. phone calls. He can only receive speech to the Queen about what soldiers killed his brother’s best Todd calms Steady and then them. The sound of gunfire is the crown must do in the face of friend, and then his brother fled to tries to get him to leave, but he heard. Todd insists that Steady the inequalities in Rhodesia. and Mozambique to become a freedom is set on cooking for Mr Todd, joins him for cake and tea, despite that in his absence Judy will deliver fighter. As the gunfire increases Madam Grace and ‘little pikinini’ Steady’s protest that he can’t have it. As gunfire rages outside Steady and night draws in, the two men Judy - their daughter. He has tea with his boss, they talk about reassures Todd that the black man drink together. brought gifts for the family, the racial inequality around them will win the war and he sings a A freedom fighter arrives at handmade by his mother. Todd and their different beliefs; Todd’s in hymn to Zion in celebration. Todd the door demanding blankets accepts them graciously but insists God and Steady’s in his ancestors. joins in. and food which Todd supplies. that he should go, until Steady The phone rings and Steady Steady then takes on the role Steady disappears and talks to the reveals that the man killed at the listens as Todd talks to Judy. of the Queen and insists that man, returning fired-up. Steady roadblock was the son of Tamuka, Steady is shocked to learn that Todd present his speech. Todd and Todd’s conversation grows the headman of his village - who his boss - the ex-prime minister - reluctantly does so, and at the end more heated. Steady leaves in a was also killed recently. cannot leave the ranch to join his Steady - as the Queen - declares fury, and then returns - shot in Todd says he is worried for family in Europe. More gunshots “I Free Africa!” Todd is slightly the stomach. Todd tries to save Steady’s safety, and insists he are heard, and Steady discovers disappointed with this reaction. Steady’s life. 6 7 8 BLACK LOVER 2020 2020 2020 BLACK LOVER BLACK LOVER ABOUT THE The action takes place at Hokonui Ranch, Garfield Todd’s home in the SETTINGShabani province of Southern Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. BACKGROUND TO THE CONFLICT Liberation—was a civil conflict In 1888, Cecil Rhodes obtained from July 1964 to December a concession from local chiefs 1979. The conflict pitted three for the mineral rights over the forces against one another: land that became Southern the Rhodesian white minority- and Northern Rhodesia (now led government of Ian Smith; Zimbabwe and Zambia). In 1889 the Zimbabwe African National the area was placed under the Liberation Army - the military wing protection of the British South of Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe African Company. Southern African National Union; and the Rhodesia was formally annexed by Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary the United Kingdom in 1923, and as Army of Joshua Nkomo’s a self-governing colony was ruled Zimbabwe African People’s Union by a white minority government until independence in 1980. INDEPENDENCE In the 1960s the Government In 1976, after years of sanctions of Ian Smith was unwilling to and guerrilla activity, the Smith move towards black majority rule government finally agreed and instead issued a Unilateral in principle to majority rule. Declaration of Independence from Zimbabwe received independence the United Kingdom on the 11th on the 18th April 1980, with November 1965. In the 1960s there Robert Mugabe as Prime Minister. were more than 200,000 whites Twenty out of the 100 seats in the living in Zimbabwe and about Parliament were reserved for the seven million blacks.