Cissie : The Playscript

Nadia Davids's moving play Cissie evokes the life of an extraordinary woman Cape Town activist, Cissie Gool. From the early days of her girlhood to her death in 1963, the play allows us to glimpse into her world: the dynamic social and political home of her childhood, the heady years of her public speaking and marriage, and her difficulty in trying to live a free life under the traumatic shadow of colonialism and apartheid. Through monologue, shadow theatre and poetry, the lost world of Cissie's home, District Six, is recreated. This edition includes: an introduction by the playwright, vocabulary help on the page, exam-style questions for learners, and information on the play's historical background.