The Killing of a Union Leader is a new thriller by celebrated playwright Louis Viljoen, which will run at the Artscape Arena from from 12 to 30 May 2026. The Killing of a Union Leader confronts audiences with a gripping tale of ambition, intrigue and murder, and reunites Viljoen with renowned actor and radio personality John Maytham, as well as three-time collaborator, Emma Kotze. Joining the team are Sizwesandile Mnisi, a dynamic voice in theatre, as well as internationally acclaimed actor, Carl Beukes.
The plot
Night falls on a decaying city after a union strike turns deadly. A captain of industry finds himself beset on all sides by enemies and those who wish to see his kingdom shattered into a thousand pieces. The nobleman’s only remaining ally is his daughter, a woman possessed of unrealized ambition. In their desperation they turn to an unscrupulous political operator to set in motion a plan to break the strike and seize back the power they have lost. The only obstacle in their way is a seemingly impenetrable union lead by a champion of the people and a formidable opponent. As a new dawn arrives for the city, battle lines are drawn, and the streets are ready for blood.
Killing of a Union Leader cast
John Maytham first took on Louis Viljoen’s words in the one-man production, The Outlaw Muckridge, for which he was nominated for a Fleur Du Cap Theatre Award. He followed that up with an explosive performance in Viljoen’s The Sin Drinkers, alongside Emma Kotze, herself no stranger to the playwright’s twisted worlds having starred in Oh Baby, I’m A Wild One and The Grass Widow. Maytham and Kotze reunite in this production as industry leader, Burke, and his ambitious daughter, Margot.
Sizwesandile Mnisi takes his first steps into the world of Viljoen with the role of Gibson, a promising union representative who is steadfast in his ideals, until his world gets upturned by the machinations of merciless people. Sizwesandile knows his way around hard-hitting material, having co-created and starred in The Fall, the much-lauded play about the Fees Must Fall movement. This makes him a great addition to this new gripping political thriller.
Carl Beukes recently returned to South African shores after eight years in Los Angeles, where he racked up an impressive amount of acting credits in film and television. His love for the stage has never waned, and the role of Dobbs, an amoral political operator, is tailor-made for Carl’s unique blend of enigma and charm.
Following their successful collaborations on The Grass Widow, The Visigoths, The Sin Drinkers, Mrs. Mitchell Comes To Town and most recently The Vulgarians, frequent Viljoen collaborator, Kieran McGregor, is once again on board as the set and lighting designer of the play. McGregor understands how to create the opaque spaces in which Viljoen’s characters reveal their darkest desires and inhabit a world cloaked in intrigue, as he adds his own exceptional design aesthetic.
What: The Killing of a Union Leader
Where and when: Artscape’s Arena Theatre from 12 to 30 May 2026
Tickets: Webtickets
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