Deconstructing the Native/Imagining the Post-Native

This work combines African philosophical discourses with perspectives on cultural performativity to explore the theme of ‘deconstructing the native'' and ‘imagining the post-native'' through theatre. The theatre part focuses on the early works of renowned South African director-playwright, Brett Bailey, and their relevance to themes of contemporary African philosophy. Using the concept of ‘engendering space'' as a point of contact between African intellectual discourse and theatre praxis, the author elucidates how Bailey''s theatre engendered a physical and metaphysical space in which to deconstruct the native and imagine the post-native. It is therefore argued that Bailey''s aesthetic revolution has immense ethical consequences for contemporary African society. The author imagines what these consequences are by deconstructing the cultural and moral discourse generated through critical and public responses to Bailey''s works, which were as controversial as they were groundbreaking.