In recent years the British Council has worked in collaboration with the South Sudan Theatre Company to deliver a series of impressive performances and events.
The partnership has gone from strength to strength since the South Sudan Theatre Company’s groundbreaking performance of Cymbeline at London’s Globe Theatre in 2012. The performance, the development of which was supported by the British Council, was part of the London Cultural Olympiad during which the Globe played host to 37 Shakespeare plays in 37 languages over a six week period.
The partnership has created significant international exposure and recognition:
- The Globe Theatre in London has endorsed a plan to build a Juba Globe, with the British Council, the South Sudanese Ministry of Culture and British Consultants Metaphor as key partners
- South Sudan Theatre Company has become fully incorporated and is in negotiation with a number of donors to secure funding for drama projects
- As a result of his contribution to the Cymbeline project, co-director Derik Alfred was appointed Minister of Information and Culture in Western Bahr El Ghazal State
The chairman of the South Sudan Theatre Company and founding father of South Sudan’s theatrical tradition, Joseph Abuk, said recently in an interview:
“It is thanks to British Council. Without them we would not have been able to achieve what we have.”