The Fugard Theatre
From the 1850s onwards the District Six area, so called because in 1867 the area was named the Sixth Municipal District of Cape Town, developed into a dense residential area. Home to almost a tenth of the city of Cape Town's population, it became a lively and hugely diverse community.
The Congregational Church in Buitenkant Street was built in 1830 and in 1860 the church hall was added to the rear of the building. In 1906 the original church was demolished to make way for the building of warehouse space but the church hall remained and became incorporated into the Sacks Futeran warehouse development.
As a textile and soft goods suppliers, the Sacks Futeran building was central to the District Six area. Seamstresses, tailors and generations of families frequented the warehouses and visitors to the Fugard Theatre will have the opportunity to see this beautifully preserved piece of architectural and cultural history.
On 11 February 1966, the apartheid government declared District Six a 'White’s Only' area. In the years that followed over 60,000 people were forcibly removed from their homes and most buildings in the area were bulldozed. The area today still remains, for the most part, empty, a sort of caesarean scar on one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Athol Fugard is without doubt South Africa’s most important and inspirational playwright. As early as the 1950s he was working in multi-racial environments. His work helped underline the stupidity and barbarity of the then political system, often with great humour and always with great humanity. For him to consent to give his name, and what it represents, to this space is a link from the optimistic theatrical past into our democratic future. It is a great honour.
So why build the theatre here in District Six? There are practical reasons that made the location of the theatre very accessible - transport is made a little easier being close to the town centre, and it is located in a newly designated ‘cultural zone’ which will see the revitilisation of this historic and beautiful part of our city.
