Athol Fugard

I write plays because I'm interested in the human condition, and I'm interested in the human condition because I'm a human being.

The ultimate act of liberation is to speak your own truth.

My work is about trying to understand what it means to be a human being in a specific time and place.

Theatre is a place where we can confront our demons and celebrate our humanity.

Hope is a very dangerous thing. It can keep you alive, but it can also kill you.

The past is never dead. It's not even past.

We are all prisoners of our own history.

Art is not a mirror held up to reality, but a hammer with which to shape it.

The greatest weapon against injustice is the truth.

To be human is to be flawed.

Silence is not empty. It's full of answers.

The theatre is a place where we can dream together.

Every human being has a story to tell, and every story is worth hearing.

The act of writing is an act of faith.

We must never forget the power of a single voice.

The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable.

My plays are not about answers, but about questions.

The human spirit is resilient, even in the face of unimaginable suffering.

Theatre is a conversation between the stage and the audience.

To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering.