ALBIE SACHS, FATHERS, SONS AND SOFT VENGEANCE Will Open in May
Performances run 6th - 24th May 2026.
Theatre on the Square will present a new play from the 6th May – Albie Sachs, Fathers, Sons and Soft Vengeance. This new play by Gail Louw, will be produced by Troupe Theatre Company and the Baxter Theatre by arrangement with Daphne Kuhn. It will be directed by Fiona Ramsay and star Graham Hopkins.
The play is a fitting tribute to Judge Albie Sachs in his 91st year once called the moral conscience of post-apartheid South Africa and a living example of how to hold pain, power, and principle in balance.
Albie Sachs: Fathers, Sons and Soft Vengeance is a play honoring the activist, survivor, and architect of South Africa's democratic legal order, that embraces his relationship as a son, a father and his transformative power of the human spirit. The one-person play presents a moving tapestry of Albie's life weaving the threads of the bomb attack he endured, his relationship with that trauma, the relationship with his father and sons, and reminds us that justice and empathy can heal even the deepest wounds.
The play explores his unshakable sense of justice: at just 17 years old, he marched against apartheid laws. In his commitment to the struggle he was not hardened by the violence and repression of apartheid and never lost his compassion. Rather than calling for revenge, Sachs famously said he hoped for a “soft vengeance”—a world where South Africa would become democratic and just.
Sachs at the age of 71 with his wife architect Vanessa September, became a father again. He has spoken movingly about the joy and humility of becoming a parent in his old age, describing it as his ‘greatest adventure'. There is something deeply touching about a man who, after facing death and decades of struggle, finds solace and meaning in the everyday rituals and human dignity of fatherhood and partnership.
Albie describes the great tribute with the launch of The Albies, in 2022, by warriors for justice, fighting against inequality, authoritarianism and all the forces fighting democracy - through Amal and George Clooney and the Clooney Foundation for Justice. This annual award honours courageous global justice defenders – journalists, human rights activists and survivors who face great risk. Named after South African Justice Albie Sachs, the awards highlight those protecting democracy and human rights worldwide.
Albie Sachs is a man who radiates grace. He shows us that justice does not have to be cold. That law can have a heart. That forgiveness is not weakness but strength. That a person can endure the worst and still emerge full of hope. Known for his gentle humour, his easy laugh, and his resilience. After the bombing, he learned to write with his left hand, to live again, and to love again.
Don't miss this beautiful and inspiration piece of South African theatre. Bookings are open via Webtickets - or call the theatre on 011 883 8606 or 083 377 4969. Special group discounts and block booking arrangements for schools and special interest groups can be arranged.
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