Amaka Umeh and Tawiah M’Carthy in ‘Sizwe Banzi is Dead’, Photo by Dahlia Katz
Removed from the strife of its 1972 South African premiere, neither of the actors here are at risk of arrest and imprisonment; yet this apartheid-era tale of stolen identity and self-determination, featuring two sharp and persuasive performances, still has devastating power. Sizwe Banzi is Dead, presented by Soulpepper, is billed as a comedy. Though humour does permeate even the darkest moments, this descriptor seems to properly fit only the first hour of this affecting two-hander. Continue Reading