The first formal publication of two early plays by Soyinka, with a foreword by Abiola Irele. Widely regarded as Soyinka's first play, The Invention (1959) reflects the obsession with race that marked the apartheid regime, and prophetically depicts the beginnings of the crumbling of the apartheid system in the futuristic setting of Johannesburg in 1976. It expresses the concern of the African diapsora with apartheid, which was felt to be an affront to the entire race. The Detainee (1965) is a radio play. The plot foreshadows the writer's own imprisonment and his now familiar concerns about the vagaries of African politics.

'...these plays take us back to the first manifestation of a creative genius that was soon to flourish.' - Abiola Irele
ISBN: 978-1-86888-329-5 94pp. UNISA Press 2005
$19.95/£14.95

Orders:
Africa - UNISA Press -
North America - Michigan State Univ. Press - www.africanbookscollective.com