A South African play about Winnie Madikizela-Mandela explores Black women's long wait for absent men
The play about the late former wife of Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first Black president, is adapted from the novel 'The Cry of Winnie Mandela' by Njabulo Ndebele. It explores themes of loneliness, infidelity and betrayal.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
8 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
The Ufot Family Cycle turns toward a younger generation in ‘Kufre N' Quay'
Directed by John ADEkoje, 'Kufre N' Quay' is the fifth drama in Mfoniso Udofia's nine-play Ufot Family Cycle, which chronicles the experiences of three generations of a Nigerian-American family over a period of decades. As with August Wilson's 'Century Cycle,' which explored the Black experience through the prism of a drama for each decade of the 20th century, what makes Udofia's plays work is that they're grounded in a specificity of character while also encompassing major sociological movements. Advertisement The playwright is nothing if not ambitious, and in 'Kufre N' Quay,' she fuses a coming-of-age story with a strangers-in-a-strange-land narrative, while also delving into issues of racial identity (Udofia calls it 'the most overt race-play in the cycle') and belonging. In an initiative spearheaded by The Huntington and its artistic director, Loretta Greco, dozens of Boston-area arts organizations have committed to staging the plays in the Ufot Family Cycle. Previous productions have included But 'Kufre N' Quay' does not reach the level of those four earlier plays. The action begins in the summer of 2018 and moves back and forth from the Inwood section of Manhattan to Harlem to — in Kufre's mind, at least — Lagos, Nigeria. Advertisement A glowing glass model of the solar system given to him by his grandmother ignites Kufre's vivid imagination, allowing the universe to periodically open up to him. Projection designer Justin Lahue and lighting designer Karen Perlow have done stellar work in evoking the cosmos. Act One is unwieldy; it feels both overstuffed and underdeveloped as the kids at the youth center treat Kufre with derision while counselor Miss Ey Yo Miss (Jalyse Ware) tries to persuade them to accept the newcomer. The play begins to round into form in Act Two, which foregrounds the estimable Ramona Lisa Alexander as Iniabasi Ekpeyong, Kufre's fiercely protective mother, and Jackie Davis as Abasiama Ufot, his even more formidable grandmother. This is the first professional production by the Boston Arts Academy, which has teamed up with Wheelock Family Theatre. A dozen academy students are in the cast. Unsurprisingly, with such a youthful ensemble, the levels of acting ability vary widely. One clear standout is Ngolela Kamanampata, who transitions skillfully through multiple moods as 13-year-old Laquasha 'Quay' Price. Quay is Kufre's first ally at the youth center, until he alienates her by saying, clumsily, that she is good enough to live in Nigeria while none of the other Black kids are. 'You are one of the better ones,' he says, intending it as praise. She is rightly incensed. Eventually, he is rightly repentant. In the aforementioned program note, Udofia writes that she focuses on young people in the play 'so we can see how early the othering starts. How deep it cuts. And maybe — because it's youth at the center — how possible it is to change.' Advertisement KUFRE N' QUAY Play by Mfoniso Udofia. Directed by John ADEkoje. Presented by Boston Arts Academy and Wheelock Family Theatre. At Boston Arts Academy. Through July 26. Tickets $21.40 to $41.80. 617-635-6470, Don Aucoin can be reached at
USA Today
8 minutes ago
- USA Today
Hulk Hogan dead at 71: Wrestler's biggest controversies during his storied career
Famed wrestler Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, died Thursday, July 24, per Florida police and the WWE. Bollea had been struggling with health issues for years at this point, including a lingering back injury he suffered during his wrestling career. Throughout his career, Hogan was the face of professional wrestling for decades. In fact, he was the headliner for the main event in seven of the first eight WrestleMania's. He was on the covers of magazines, and had a myriad of toys and brands backing him up. He starred in movies, captivated fans and had one strange failed pasta restaurant. That said, despite his massive success, Hogan was not immune to controversy and criticism. With immense fame came scrutiny and Hogan was not a perfect man. Throughout his career, Hogan was the subject of many negative incidents that played a large role in his fall from grace. Here are the biggest controversies of Hogan's career: Hulk Hogan's biggest controversies A sex tape is bad enough, but when Hogan was heard also saying horrendous things about Black people, liberally using a racial slur, his reputation took an ever harsher hit. Hogan also said heinous words about the possibility of his daughter dating a Black man. If it wasn't already clear enough, he also made sure everyone know he was racist by uttering, "I am a racist, to a point, (expletive) (racial slur)." When Hogan refused to lose a fight with WCW, Vince Russo went out of his way to trash Hogan via a promo. However, given Hogan was handed creative control of WCW, the promo broke that contract, allowing Hogan to sue WCW, costing them tons of money and playing a large role in WCW eventually selling to WWE. Linda Hogan was the Hulkster's wife for most of his wrestling career. However, the marriage did not end well. The pair bickered constantly as each wanted to drag the other down. Linda even accused Hogan of cheating on her. Hogan would do anything to make himself look cool, even if that meant stretching the truth from time to time. Hogan would lie about everything, small to large. No one cared that George Foreman was the face of the George Foreman grill instead of Hogan, until Hogan falsely claimed that he was supposed to be the face and only wasn't because he missed the company's call. Hogan swore that he received a voicemail claiming that both he and Foreman had received offers. However, the inventor of the grill claimed that he'd never even considered Hogan. Hogan also lied about being hurt by Undertaker via a piledriver. Undertaker feared for his job and was only saved because video evidence showed that the Undertaker had performed the move perfectly, not allowing Hogan to get hurt at all. Hogan also erroneously claimed that he was offered a role in the band Metallica as a bassist. It wasn't long before band members Lars Ulrich and James Hetfield shot down those rumors, calling Hogan a liar. When WCW signed Hogan, they gave him creative control over the company, but that did not go as well as they'd hoped. At Starrcade 1997, many fans were hoping to see Sting dethrone Hogan as champion, but Hogan's contract clause gave him the authority to change the outcome, giving himself the win, much to the chagrin of fans everywhere. Hogan continued abusing this power elsewhere, too. Fellow wrestler Bret Hart recalls Hogan being unwilling to drop the championship in 1993. Shawn Michaels also tells a story of Hogan backing out of an agreement in which Michaels would win a rematch between the two. Throughout his career, Hogan made a few strange decisions in the world of politics. Not only did he fake a presidential campaign in 2000, but he also threatened to body slam former Vice President Kamala Harris at a Trump rally. That's taking things a bit too far. The 1990s WWE steroids trial saw Vince McMahon under fire for illegal drug usage in pro wrestling. Hogan was the biggest witness of the case, and after years of claiming he'd never used steroids, he finally came clean in an effort to avoid a perjury charge. At the very least, Hogan did not throw McMahon under the bus, claiming that McMahon had never offered or supplied him with steroids. Hogan's testimony played a large role in McMahon avoiding jail time. Although Ventura and Hogan were good friends in professional wrestling, that didn't stop Hogan from snitching on Ventura as he and several other wrestlers attempted to start a union to protect themselves and their futures. Hogan told Vince McMahon of Ventura's plans, allowing McMahon to stop it before it began. To this day, Ventura holds a large grudge against Hogan. There is no evidence that Hogan ever apologized. Hogan's final WWE appearance was rather recent, occurring in January 2025, when RAW was broadcast on Netflix for the first time. Hogan was booed during his appearance, fans still upset about the numerous controversies he'd been involved with in the past, including his support for President Donald Trump. Hogan bit back at the boos though, reminiscing about his time as a wrestler, even claiming that his days as a professional were the best of his life. The moment became even more ridiculous when it was revealed that Hogan was there to promote his new beer brand, 'Real American Beer.' It all felt facetious and did not do much to dissuade fans upset with his previous antics.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wrestling icon Hulk Hogan is dead at 71
Professional wrestling star and actor Hulk Hogan is dead at 71. Medics were dispatched to Hogan's Florida home shortly before 10 a.m. Thursday in response to a cardiac arrest, the Clearwater Police Department said on Facebook. Hogan was pronounced dead at Morton Plant Hospital. Law enforcement officers and EMTs were reportedly spotted outside Hogan's home as the wrestler was delivered to an ambulance via stretcher, according to TMZ, which first reported the wrestler's death. The outlet shot down rumors last month of Hogan being near death, claiming the star, born Terry Gene Bollea, had been hospitalized to address lingering neck and back issues and was otherwise fine. Hogan was arguably the most famous wrestler of all time. He catapulted to super stardom after appearing as the fictional wrestler Thunderlips in the 1982 film 'Rocky III' in which he tossed Sylvester Stallone out of a wrestling ring before Stallone's Rocky Balboa returned the favor. The bigger than life showman stood 6 feet and 7 inches, weighed around 300 lbs. and sported a trademark bleached blond mustache that matched his receding long blond hair. He frequently referred to friend and foe alike as 'brother' in the unmistakably deep voice that asked 'Whatcha gonna do when Hulkamania runs wild on you?' Hogan fans are referring to as 'Hulkamaniacs.' World Wrestling Entertainment, formerly known as the World Wrestling Federation, mourned the loss of its star Thursday. 'WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away,' the organization said in a statement. 'One of pop culture's most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan's family, friends, and fans.' Hogan was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2005, but removed from its ranks in 2015 after recordings of him making racist comments emerged. He was reinstated in 2018 after apologizing for his words. Audio leaked to the National Enquirer from a sex tape revealed him using the N-word when discussing his daughter Brooke Hogan's relationship with a Black man. The initial release of a portion of that tape led to a controversial 2012 lawsuit that bankrupted the gossip site Gawker after it reported on Hogan having sex with the wife of a close friend. A jury awarded the plaintiff $140 million, but his reputation was damaged by the revelation. He settled for $31 million, according to Forbes. Hogan later accused Gawker of leaking the tape to the Enquirer. Brooke said in March that she'd stopped contact with her parents 'to dodge the public negativity surrounding my family that has continuously and relentlessly overshadowed anything I do.' The public got a look inside the unconventional family's activities from the 2005 reality show 'Hogan Knows Best,' which ran for two years on VH1. That program was succeeded by 'Brooke Knows Best' starring Hogan's now 37-year-old daughter. Hogan was also featured prominently at the 2024 Republican National Convention where he offered his full-throated support for Donald J. Trump's successful candidacy. 'We're gonna' bring America back together one real American at a time, brother,' he told a roaring crowd during the nationally televised event. He is survived by his third wife, Sky Daily, and two children: Brooke and Nick Hogan, whom he shared with his first wife, Linda Hogan. Hogan's longtime associate Darren Prince called news of his client's death 'devastating' in an email to the Daily News. 'I was blessed to not only be his marketing agent for 25 years, but got to know the real Terry Bollea as a dear friend and family,' Prince said. Professional wrestler Ric Flair also took the news hard. 'I am absolutely shocked to hear about the passing of my close friend @HulkHogan!' he wrote on X. 'Hulk has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business.' Flair remembered Hogan as a good friend who was with him through his own health challenges and even helped him financially. 'Hulkster, no one will ever compare to you! Rest in peace my friend!' Flair posted. ------------
