10 years, 1.5 million patrons through the doors, over 180 productions and events, 178 nominations and 56 awards, more than 200 cinema screenings of curated cinema and international recorded live shows screened at The Fugard Bioscope and host of The Open Book annual literary festival from 2011 to 2019.
In honour of Athol Fugard’s 90th birthday year in 2022, the Fugard Theatre’s website has been transformed into a free-to-access online archive which gives a comprehensive view of the 10-year history of the Fugard Theatre’s life as one of Cape Town’s most popular theatres. It aims to continue honouring the work and life of Athol Fugard, one of the world’s most influential playwrights.
Note that all media, production photographs, and associated material on this site remain the property of the Fugard Theatre, photographers and content creators. Use and access to this material are solely for educational and archival purposes and may not be used, replicated or saved in any form without explicit permission. Please enter the site and go to the Educational Resource page to request permission or access to production material. All rights are reserved.
Permanent Closure
The Fugard Theatre, as an artistic producing and receiving house, closed permanently in March 2021. After commissioning and underwriting the construction of the theatre in 2009 and 10 years of philanthropic support and producing involvement, the founding producer of the Fugard, Eric Abraham, returned the building that housed the Fugard Theatre complex to its freehold owner, The District 6 Museum. The building was handed back with two fully equipped auditoria – the Main Theatre and The Sigrid Rausing Studio – in the hope that it will be able to be used for the financial benefit of the Museum and the memory of District Six and its community of 60,000 people, who were brutally uprooted and dispossessed in the mid-sixties by the apartheid government.
Eric Abraham intended that The Fugard should serve as a beacon of storytelling of the common humanity reflected in Athol Fugard’s writing and be a place in Cape Town where you felt welcome and safe inside, no matter who you were or where you came from. Today, the Homecoming Centre operates the building and performance spaces and has rebranded as the HCC: Homecoming Centre. The HCC of the District Six Museum is a multi-purpose event and education space. It represents the powerful coming together of memory, connection and community.
If you wish to get in touch or if you want to see what is happening at The HCC, you can visit their website below.