The documentary film, The Space: Theatre of Survival, which played at Pulp cinema as part of the Toyota US Woordfees during the second week of March, leaves behind a fitting legacy following the death of The Space Theatre co-founder, Brian Astbury.
Brian Astbury, co-founder of The Space. PHOTO: Supplied by Dan Poole
The co-founder, Astbury, who passed away on 5 March at the age of 78, opened The Space Theatre as the first racially inclusive theatre in 1972, during the apartheid regime.
The documentary follows the trajectory of The Space Theatre, the lives of the theatre’s founders and the lives of the various artists who performed at the theatre. These artists include John Kani, Athol Fugard and Fatima Dike.
The documentary left behind an apt memory of Brian Astbury, said Dan Poole, director and producer of the documentary, as well as close friend of Astbury.
“This film is a legacy to him and to all those who dared to push back against a vile system they knew was wrong,” said Poole.
Dan Poole, director and producer of ‘The Space: Theatre of Survival’. PHOTO: Supplied by Dan Poole.
The documentary showcases how The Space Theatre provided a platform for diverse artists to perform and resist the apartheid system through theatre – a legacy that has followed Astbury.
“Brian spent his whole life not just believing in the power of the arts to change lives and change society but making it so,” said a family spokesperson in a press release following his death.
The documentary serves as an educational moment for viewers to reflect upon, said Poole.
“That for me is the strength of the film, to remind people of their past, but uniquely to also illustrate that there is always something that can be done. History should protect us from our future errors if taught right,” Poole said.
Pulp Cinema filling up with guests ready to see ‘The Space Theatre of Survival’. PHOTO: Savannah Bacon