Janet Suzman

Personal context

Summary

Janet Suzman is a South African-born actor and director known for classical theatre, especially Shakespeare, and for roles in Nicholas and Alexandra, Clayhanger and The Draughtsman’s Contract. She has spoken about prejudice and racism, calling herself “militantly liberal” and describing her sensitivity to prejudice as shaped by growing up in apartheid-era South Africa. She directed Othello in South Africa during the apartheid years and has discussed the play’s portrayal of the humiliation of a black man. Suzman has also spoken about women’s representation in Shakespeare, while her 2014 comments that theatre was a white European invention and that Asian audiences were not interested drew public criticism.