Mark and Jill's South Africa trip 2015

One of the first organisations Jill and I are visiting is the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. It was formed in the late 1970s by Mannie Manim and the late Barney Simon, and became known around the world as the ‘Theatre of the Struggle’. The performances they made challenged the apartheid regime and dared to stand up against social injustice. It’s the perfect place for us to start our cultural tour – a place where brave, revolutionary and radical performances continue to be made.

This trip has personal resonance for me in particular. The apartheid-era play The Island by Athol Fugard sparked my interest in theatre directing and I have always wanted to visit the country which inspired it.