Marikana

Synopsis

Anna’s constituency office

Anna McNamara strides into the dimly lit office, the weight of her responsibilities etched across her face. In Karen Laws’ “Marikana,” Anna, a newly elected MP, grapples with the moral and political complexities of her role. The play, set in contemporary Britain, oscillates between Anna’s interactions in her constituency office and her reflections on a tragic event that haunts her conscience.

Anna’s journey intersects with Siphiwe Makhanya, a South African miner scarred both physically and emotionally by the Marikana massacre—a violent clash between striking miners and police that resulted in numerous deaths. As Anna attempts to help Siphiwe seek asylum, their conversations reveal the harsh realities of power, privilege, and the global struggle for justice. Anna’s internal conflicts and her encounters with Siphiwe’s harrowing past force her to confront her own limitations and the pervasive injustices within the systems she operates.