The Market Theatre, South Africa’s celebrated veteran actors, will see John Kani and Robert Whitehead staring in a gut-wrenching political thriller directed by award-winning director, Lesedi Job, in CONGO – The Trial of King Leopold II, a work adapted from Mark Twain’s King Léopold’s Soliloquy about his defence for his Congo rule. The script has been developed by Kani, Whitehead and Job with the financial support from the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
CONGO – The Trial of King Leopold II is an imagined encounter between Advocate Xola Mlambo, played by John Kani, and King Léopold, played by Robert Whitehead, about the 23-year rule by King Leopold II of the Congo Free State during which more than 10 million Africans were massacred without him even setting foot in the Congo.
Kani and Whitehead star in a deeply moving portrait that brings to life this largely untold story about an African holocaust with wit and skill to expose these crimes against humanity which is articulated in Adam Rothchild’s book, King Leopold’s Ghost
Directed by one of South Africa’s award-winning and rising stars, Lesedi Job, the delicate production is given volume and credibility by an added local angle in the story with John Kani and Robert Whitehead immersing themselves in an emotional and heart-wrenching performance that brings together these two theatre titans to co-star in a production at the Market Theatre for the first time since the 80’s.
With lighting design by Lungile Cindi and set design by Onthatile Matshidiso, Congo The Trial of King Leopold promises to be a production not to be missed.
For more infromation, please visit www.webtickets.co.za/event.aspx?itemid=1484119309
