Overview
Synopsis
Against the backdrop of a white Christian mission, nestled in the heart of an African colony on the brink of revolution, Les Blancs takes a hard look at the complex consequences of both white colonialism and black liberation. Central to the narrative is Tshembe Matoseh, the educated son of a village chief who left Africa to find fortune and a new life in the West. He is now a successful businessman, with a European wife and child back home in London. He arrives in his homeland to bury his father but is greeted with more than he bargained for. The rebellion from which he escaped has reached its height, racial tensions are about to explode, and he must choose which side to take. If there even is a side at all? Added to this, Tshembe discovers that his younger, bi-racial brother Eric is an alcoholic and his older brother has become a Christian priest and a traitor to those he grew up with. Despite his determination to return home unscathed, Tshembe finds himself drawn into the conflict, as symbolized by a mysterious dancing female who represents the Spirit of Africa and all that he left behind.
Show Information
- Category
- Play
- Age Guidance
- Thirteen Plus (PG-13)
- Number of Acts
- 2
- First Produced
- 1970
- Genres
- Drama
- Settings
- Multiple Settings
- Time & Place
- Zatembe (a fictional African nation)
- Cast Size
- medium
- Licensor
- Concord Theatricals
- Ideal For
- Diverse Cast, Professional Theatre, Regional Theatre, College/University, Mostly Male Cast, Includes Adult, Mature Adult, Elderly, Late Teen, Young Adult Characters, Medium Cast
Context
Lorraine Hansberry was inspired to write Les Blancs after seeing the US premiere of Jean Genet’s play Les Nègres (The Blacks). Her ex-husband, Robert Nemiroff, described her having a “visceral response” to Genet’s play, which she believed treated Africans like exotic ‘Others’. Hansberry died before completing the play, but Nemiroff decided to compile and edit the play from her draft manuscripts. Les Blancs opened on Broadway in November 1970
to read the context for Les Blancs and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Plot
Act One
In the midst of the sounds of the African bush, a silent female dancer is seen suspended from the sky in a typical African dance pose. Planted before her in the soil, is a spear. A drum beat is heard, climaxing when the dancer reaches forward and pulls the spear from the earth.
A white American journalist, Charlie Morris, arrives at a remote Protestant medical missionary outpost in Africa. First, he meets Dr. Marta Gotterling, who is treating a local child. She apologizes that
to read the plot for Les Blancs and to unlock other amazing theatre resources!Characters
| Name | Part Size | Gender | Vocal Part |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Lead |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Female |
Non-singer |
|
|
Supporting |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Male |
Non-singer |
|
|
Featured |
Female |
Silent |
Songs
A song with an asterisk (*) before the title indicates a dance number; a character listed in a song with an asterisk (*) by the character's name indicates that the character exclusively serves as a dancer in this song, which is sung by other characters.
Monologues
Scenes
Key Terms
Dated 1965-1975, a political and artistic movement dedicated to affirming pride and respect in Black history and culture.
The policy or practice of a wealthy or powerful nation's maintaining or extending its control over other countries.
Videos
Quizzes
Themes, Symbols & Motifs
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Quote Analysis
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Guide Written By:
Alexandra Appleton
Writer, editor and theatre researcher