Review: KUNENE AND THE KING at Shakespeare Theatre Company

One of the reasons Shakespeare’s works have endured over the centuries is that they so keenly portray the human experience – while the plays reflect the ethos of their time and place, the characters are such fascinating studies of humanity and how we grapple with the hands fate deals us all. Part of what has kept the Bard’s works relevant is that these characters and situations can be reinterpreted as the theatrical world widens the voices it centers, taking foundational human experiences – love, grief, jealousy, rage, regret, joy – and helping us see how other cultures and circumstances understand them. That isn’t to say that Shakespeare is the bridge that brings all peoples together – it can just as easily highlight the gulfs between societies as well as those connections, and how these works are shared can be as damaging as they can be uplifting.

The illustrious Dr. John Kani highlights this in Kunene and the King, his 2019 play which had its US premiere at Shakespeare Theatre Company this weekend. Dr. Kani explores these thematic points of connection as well as how they can also emphasize where we fail to meet or understand each other, particularly when grappling with systems that create drastically different outcomes for those within them. The celebrated playwright and actor grew up under the apartheid government in South Africa, and dedicated his life to both his craft and to activism, performing interpretations of classics that critiqued the system and even openly challenging it; he was arrested after a performance of his Tony Award-winning play, Sizwe Banzi is Dead, and was violently beaten by the police after participating in the first interracial kiss on a South African stage. In Kunene and the King, he explores not only the horrors of the apartheid system and its violence, but the long-term impact of it on those who suffered under its control, and even on those who benefited from it. Like the characters in King Lear, many who lived through the system and have seen the aftermath in the last thirty years since its dismantling are still grappling with the consequences of their choices and the choices made by those around them, and the need for true accountability and self-reflection in reconciliation efforts.

Shakespeare’s presence in this play, where the titular king refers to both the tragic figure and the play’s own tragic privileged character, is also a reflection of Dr. Kani’s own understanding of how these works can be interpreted in different ways to unite or divide communities and societies. Referencing his own childhood experience of reading Julius Caesar in school, where it was translated to the Xhosa language, Dr. Kani notes in both his essays as well as through the character Kunene that the play was only permitted because the apartheid government of the Afrikaners intended it to be a warning to any who thought to challenge their system that they would suffer the same fate of the conspirators, who had failed and were ultimately defeated. However, Dr. Kani’s teacher offered another interpretation: the dictator Caesar had fallen because of his failure to care about the will of the people, and the oppressive government under which they toiled could suffer a similar fate for that same hubris. Dr. Kani accentuates this same duality of interpretations and experiences in his own play, with characters who have many similarities but drastically different experiences, outcomes, and outlooks.

In Kunene and the King, South African actor Jack Morris (Edward Gero) is contending with his terminal diagnosis of stage four liver cancer. Against doctor’s orders, he leaves the hospital, returning home to prepare for the role of King Lear; his only concession to his health is to hire a private caretaker, though he’s surprised to discover “Sister Kunene” is not a young woman, but Sister Lunga Kunene (Dr. Kani), an older Black man (as an aside for American audiences, “Sister” is a title bestowed upon Registered Nurses in South Africa, and is nongender specific). Sister Kunene is deeply committed to his calling and career to care, but the South Africa he knows and grew up in is vastly different than that of Jack’s, and those two pieces are often in tension for him - a tension further exasperated by Jack’s situation and temperament. Jack is used to the privileges that have defined his life, and sees no reason to alter his behaviors – even those that cost him his marriage and his relationship with his son – but he’s also an addict dying alone, fearful of the future and in physical and emotional pain. Kunene understands this, and shows compassion, but his frustration at Jack’s disregard for him as a person and a Black man is also ever present, especially when Jack alternatively relies on Kunene as his rehearsal partner and the closest thing he has to a friend, and reminds him sneeringly that he’s Jack’s “employee” – something not entirely accurate, since Kunene is responsible for Jack’s care, and also exacerbated by Jack’s use of Apartheid-era language and expectations, such as initially insisting Kunene use a different set of drinkware and sleep in the old servants’ quarters rather than in the main house. Both men are both products of the Apartheid and deeply scarred by it, and the impact it has on their tenuous relationship is palpable even in their lighter exchanges. But they’re also alike in many more ways than they realize, and able to understand each other because of that – they’re both deeply committed to their careers, at the expense of their personal relationships, and their love for the arts makes Jack’s rehearsals a particular point of bonding. One of the most stirring scenes is when Jack and Kunene recite the famous funeral speech from Julius Caesar together in English (Jack) and in Xhosa (Kunene), line by line; their passion for Shakespeare and their animated conversations about the themes in King Lear show how well they can connect on that level, even as they discuss how the lessons and themes from Lear can apply to their governments and their own personal experiences. But, much like the world they live in, these moments are always marked by the fact that their interpretations and even their enjoyment are still deeply entangled in their radically different experiences.

Edward Gero perfectly captures Jack’s multifaceted personality – he portrays the character’s passionate and pernicious sides alongside the grief and fear that plague him following his diagnosis, and there’s a vulnerability that Gero brings out that makes the character feel sympathetic and human. Even in the moments where Jack is at his worst, Gero keeps him grounded with a layer of compassion; he’s not a cartoonish villain, but a man who is the product of a system that worked for him in a way he’d rather not examine, particularly at this point in his life. Dr. Kani, in addition to writing the script, takes on the role of Kunene, whose complexity lies in the conflict of his own principles – Kani shows Kunene as a dedicated nurse who has devoted his life to the care of others, but also how this often strips the character of the other aspects of his identity. Moments when Kunene distinguishes between his “Sister Kunene” status and his thoughts and feelings as Lunga Kunene show the tension in the character’s own sense of self. There’s also a simmering rage – at the system that he lives in, at the impact of the decisions others made to cope on his own life and choices, at the ongoing impact and legacy he lives with each day while others, like Jack, have the option to simply opt out of facing – but also a quiet dignity as well, that often prevents Jack’s barbs from landing their mark. Dr. Kani’s layered performance conveys the complexities of a man who leads with kindness, but is also keenly aware of the darker sides his world and community have to offer, and it’s captivating to watch these each play out in Kunene’s interactions and private moments.

Rounding out the cast is the artist Ntebo, whose exquisite vocals and dances are featured as captivating scene transitions. Ntebo’s interludes help ground the production while broadening the cultural reach of the play. It’s not purely about the impact of Shakespeare and his work, but also the arts more broadly, and featuring her voice – her music style is a blend of African folk, jazz, and Afro-soul – adds an additional, engaging layer to the production.

Behind the scenes is an equally stunning array of talent. Dr. Kani’s book is thoughtful and grapples with heavy themes, and Director Ruben Santiago-Hudson leans into them with a careful sensitivity that allows both the story and the characters to truly shine. Lawrence E. Moten III helps build the characters and their world further with their excellent scenic design, which beautifully captures Jack and Kunene’s respective living spaces as well as features a wonderful sky backdrop that, with the help of Rui Rita’s excellent lighting design, creates a clever display of the passage of time. Karen Perry’s costume designs, like Moten’s scenes, help fill out the characters and their world, and bring in gorgeous representation of Western and African influences. Sierra Young, as the Fight Consultant, helps choreograph the more intense moments, and Drew Lichtenberg’s smart approach to Dramaturgy alongside Deborah Hecht’s dialogue and vocal coaching bring out the details and nuances in Dr. Kani’s script, all of which are carried to the audience adeptly by DJ Potts’ solid sound design.

Kunene and the King is a captivating and moving examination of character and society, able to balance insights into the individual and the whole. It also feels particularly timely for American audiences to explore as we grapple with many of the same themes today, while helping us all connect a bit better by urging us to truly see each other.

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Kunene and the King plays at Shakespeare Theatre Company through March 23rd. Please note that this show includes depictions and discussions of addiction and cancer, and systemic racism and state-sponsored violence, and profanity. Additional information about the show, special events, and accessibility can be found on the Shakespeare Theatre Company website. Performance run time is approximately one hour and 40 minutes with no intermission.

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