uMabatha

{{short description|1970 South African play by Welcome Msomi}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:uMabatha}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}

{{Use South African English|date=September 2012}}

uMabatha is a 1970 play written by South African playwright Welcome Msomi.{{cite news | title=UMABATHA: THE ZULU MACBETH (When Birnam Wood Comes To South Africa, Look Out) | last=Brantlet | first=Ben | work=The New York Times | date=27 July 1997| access-date=5 October 2009 | url=http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9B07E2D6133BF930A15754C0A961958260}} It is an adaptation of Shakespeare's Macbeth set in the Zulu Kingdom during the early 19th century, and details how Mabatha overthrows Dangane.

Described as Msomi's "most famous" work,{{cite news | title=Daphney Hlomuka: Much-loved actress | work=The Times | date=5 October 2008| access-date=5 October 2009 | url=http://www.timeslive.co.za/sundaytimes/article80386.ece}} uMabatha was written when Msomi was a student at the University of Natal; it was first performed at the University's open-air theater in 1971. In 1972, it was performed at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Aldwych Theatre as part of that year's World Theatre Season,{{cite web | title=Umabatha, West End (1972) | publisher=Broadway World International Database | url=http://broadwayworld.com/bwidb/productions/Umabatha_8501/ | access-date=14 October 2009}} and has subsequently been performed in Italy, Scotland, Zimbabwe, and throughout America,{{cite news |title='UMABATHA – The Zulu Macbeth' Celebrates Origins of Zulu Nation With Drama, Music and Dance Oct. 2–5 at Wiltern |publisher=UCLA News |date=19 August 1997 |access-date=5 October 2009 |url=https://www3.scienceblog.com/community/older/archives/O/a/ucl1212.shtml |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110614122405/https://www3.scienceblog.com/community/older/archives/O/a/ucl1212.shtml |archive-date=14 June 2011 |url-status=dead}} including a "very successful off-Broadway season in 1978".{{cite web | title=Shakespeare in South Africa: African Appropriations | publisher=Internet Shakespeare | access-date=14 October 2009 | url=https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/Criticism/shakespearein/sa7.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080330002706/https://internetshakespeare.uvic.ca/Library/Criticism/shakespearein/sa7.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=30 March 2008 }}