Blood Knot reminds us of tragic effects of apartheid

Atlanta theatrical co-production stars powerhouses Kenny Leon and Tom Key

By D. Kevin McNeir
Editor, Centre Stage, Theatre, Dance & the Arts
Senior Correspondent, GBMNews

In a reprise of their critically acclaimed 1998 roles as half-brothers, one black and one white, living in 1960s South Africa, actors Kenny Leon (Zachariah) and Tom Key (Morris) recently performed Athol Fugard's Blood Knot: A Play in Seven Scenes at Theatrical Outfit's Balzer Theater at Herren's.

The show was co-produced with Leon's True Colors Theatre Company and directed by Susan Booth. The three-week run coincides with the National Black Arts Festival which kicks off its annual run at the end of July. Blood Knot was the play that first earned South African playwright Fugard international acclaim and like most of his works, is a bit too long for most and at times tends to almost become a sermon. However, the premise is simple and it works: two brothers tied by the blood of a black mother but from racially different fathers, try living together in the midst of a destructive community where apartheid is the law of the land.

And like slavery in America, apartheid in South Africa, even when it is abolished, continues to have lingering, toxic effects, impacting both blacks and whites alike. But then, that is the power that racism wields on our world. "At the beginning of the 21st century when we are challenged more than ever to evolve past violence toward global community, Fugard's dramatic revelation of the bonds between us is a work that must be done," Leon said.

Leon and Key, now respected artistic directors for True Colors and Theatrical Outfit, respectfully, bring real passion to their roles in two convincing, emotional performances. The reality they share is that Morris (Key) can "pass" for white while Zak (Leon) because of his black skin is forced to serve as a laborer, without the benefit of education. And it is this "difference" in color that dictates the brothers' lives. The two share a one-room shack in the black portion of town and are carefully saving money for the future. But their dreams for a better life are interrupted when a white female pen-pal suddenly proposes a face-to-face meeting, ultimately unleashing years of wounds and fears that continue to haunt both men. In the end, the audience is left to ponder how racism has molded each of us and to explore the new ways it manifests itself in this new millennium. Before the performance, Theatrical Outfit, one of the oldest professional theater companies in Atlanta, was designated the first No Place for Hate theater in the Southeast by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) because of its "deep commitment to producing plays that inspire and encourage us to live together in harmony … and for the major role they play in illuminating our shared humanity and the divides caused by race, religion, sexual preference and ethnic origin." Blood Knot runs through August 2nd. For more information go to www.theatricaloutfit.org.