What do you think?
Rate this book
Breakfast With Mugabe
Witty and provocative new play by Fraser Grace. Explores conflict between African and European values.
- GenresPlays
96 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2006
15 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 6, 2025
«نمایشنامهای پرتنش درباره روان و قدرت»
"صبحانه با موگابه" (Breakfast with Mugabe) نمایشنامهایه که به شدت روانشناسانه و سیاسی پیش میرود، و به رابطهی پیچیدهی قدرت و روان یک رهبر قدرتمند میپردازد. داستان حول محور یک روانشناس سفیدپوست و یک سیاستمدار سیاهپوست میچرخد. دیالوگها شدید و پرمعنا هستند و اثر بیشتر به تحلیل شخصیت و زخمهای تاریخی تمرکز دارد تا روایت روایی ساده.
موگابه (رئیسجمهور) سالها با پارانویا زندگی کرده؛ ترس از خیانت و ترور همیشه همراهش است. روانکاو برای او یک «سفیدپوست» با پیشینهی استعماری است و ناخودآگاه تهدید میبیند. درمان روانکاوانه یعنی برهنه کردن روان، اعتراف، اعتماد — چیزی که برای یک دیکتاتورِ عادتکرده به قدرت مطلق غیرممکن است. پس هرچه پریک (روانکاو) بیشتر نزدیک میشود، موگابه بیشتر گارد میگیرد؛ انگار «کمک» را حمله میبیند.
نکتهی انتقادی سبک: این نمایشنامه شدید و فکربرانگیز است، اما ممکن است نحوهی تصویر شخصیتهای تاریخی برای برخی مخاطبان بحثبرانگیز باشد.
"A tense play about psychology and power"
Breakfast with Mugabe is an intense, psychological, and political play that explores the complex relationship between power and the mind of a powerful leader. The story revolves around a white psychiatrist and a black political figure. The dialogue is sharp and meaningful, focusing more on character analysis and historical scars than on straightforward narrative.
Mugabe (the president) has lived with paranoia for years; the fear of betrayal and assassination is always with him. The psychiatrist is a "white" figure with a colonial background, which unconsciously poses a threat. Psychoanalytic treatment involves baring the mind, confession, and trust—something impossible for a dictator accustomed to absolute power. The closer the psychiatrist gets, the more Mugabe raises his guard, as if “help” were an attack.
Light critical note: The play is intense and thought-provoking, but its portrayal of historical figures may feel controversial to some audiences.
"صبحانه با موگابه" (Breakfast with Mugabe) نمایشنامهایه که به شدت روانشناسانه و سیاسی پیش میرود، و به رابطهی پیچیدهی قدرت و روان یک رهبر قدرتمند میپردازد. داستان حول محور یک روانشناس سفیدپوست و یک سیاستمدار سیاهپوست میچرخد. دیالوگها شدید و پرمعنا هستند و اثر بیشتر به تحلیل شخصیت و زخمهای تاریخی تمرکز دارد تا روایت روایی ساده.
موگابه (رئیسجمهور) سالها با پارانویا زندگی کرده؛ ترس از خیانت و ترور همیشه همراهش است. روانکاو برای او یک «سفیدپوست» با پیشینهی استعماری است و ناخودآگاه تهدید میبیند. درمان روانکاوانه یعنی برهنه کردن روان، اعتراف، اعتماد — چیزی که برای یک دیکتاتورِ عادتکرده به قدرت مطلق غیرممکن است. پس هرچه پریک (روانکاو) بیشتر نزدیک میشود، موگابه بیشتر گارد میگیرد؛ انگار «کمک» را حمله میبیند.
نکتهی انتقادی سبک: این نمایشنامه شدید و فکربرانگیز است، اما ممکن است نحوهی تصویر شخصیتهای تاریخی برای برخی مخاطبان بحثبرانگیز باشد.
"A tense play about psychology and power"
Breakfast with Mugabe is an intense, psychological, and political play that explores the complex relationship between power and the mind of a powerful leader. The story revolves around a white psychiatrist and a black political figure. The dialogue is sharp and meaningful, focusing more on character analysis and historical scars than on straightforward narrative.
Mugabe (the president) has lived with paranoia for years; the fear of betrayal and assassination is always with him. The psychiatrist is a "white" figure with a colonial background, which unconsciously poses a threat. Psychoanalytic treatment involves baring the mind, confession, and trust—something impossible for a dictator accustomed to absolute power. The closer the psychiatrist gets, the more Mugabe raises his guard, as if “help” were an attack.
Light critical note: The play is intense and thought-provoking, but its portrayal of historical figures may feel controversial to some audiences.
August 14, 2024
Overall I was disappointed.
Certainly it educated and informed about a specific event, I am in awe of the research and imagination required to write the play in both history/politics and psychology. The writing felt natural, as far as I could tell. I was held to the story, reading it in one session.
But I think there was a possibility here to explore how western psychology fits or does not fit into an African view rather than write a power play where so very clearly only one person could win. But that is judging it on what is is not, which is perhaps not fair.
Certainly it educated and informed about a specific event, I am in awe of the research and imagination required to write the play in both history/politics and psychology. The writing felt natural, as far as I could tell. I was held to the story, reading it in one session.
But I think there was a possibility here to explore how western psychology fits or does not fit into an African view rather than write a power play where so very clearly only one person could win. But that is judging it on what is is not, which is perhaps not fair.
June 13, 2018
Troubled white psychiatrist meets a monstrous African dictator, and embarrassment is overwhelmed by the violence of the monster. Very demanding on the reader or, were it performed, on the audience.
December 19, 2014
Enjoyed the play and liked reading it even more.
January 25, 2016
really want to see the play now
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews