South Africa  may now have a reputation as Africa’s most gay-friendly destination which attracts thousands of LGBT tourists annually, but it wasn’t always that way. When it was a British Colony as part of the British Empire they had the english sense of morality and Christianity imposed upon them.  This meant mirroring England’s own puritanical laws which made homosexual acts illegal,  and which South Africa didn’t overturn until 1994.  Still it was a brave act  when you think that of the 69 countries that criminalize same-sex relations, 33 are in Africa

Queer culture is creeping into the community  and although  South African LGBTQ films may still be far and few in-between, but the ones that have been made are excellent.  One of Queerguru’s favorites  is Oliver Hermanus‘ MOFFIE an excellent harrowing coming-of-age drama from 2021. 

The fact that ‘moffie’ is the South African equivalent of ‘faggot’, it sets the tone for this movie rooted in South Africa in 1981.  Its still  apartheid where the white minority still dominates and persecutes the ‘colored’ population. They however are not the enemy in this war drama, as the country is obsessed with fighting neighboring Angola with its Soviet-backed troops. If there is one thing that the South Africans hate as much as ‘colored’ people it is Communists. It goes without saying that ‘moffies’ are on that list too.

To keep the Army manned there is mandatory conscription for boys 18 years old ……some even just 16.    This is the tale of just one of them

It is based on the autobiographical novel of the same name by André Carl van der Merwe and is seen through the eyes of a young closeted character Nicholas van der Swart (Kai Luke Brümmer) as he attempts to hide his attraction to another gay recruit.  Now the novel has been been developed into a stage play that will have its World Premiere at London’s Riverside Studios in June

 

Adapted by Philip Rademeyer  who has turned the story into a dramatic monologue, performed by rising star Kai Luke Brümmer who is actually repeating the role he played so brilliantly in the movie 

The play is being produced by the Fugard Theatre Archive in association with 
The Common Humanity Arts Trust (CHAT) South Africa 
and runs WEDNESDAY 5 – SUNDAY 30 JUNE 2024