Athol Fugard

It's the likes of you that kept the Inquisition in business. It's called bigotry."

Hally: I oscillate between hope and despair for this world as well, Sam.

In fact, I was shit-scared that we were going to make fools of ourselves.

To be one of those finalists on that floor is like... like being in a dream world in which accidents don't happen."

Be careful, Hally." "Of what? The truth? I seem to be the only one around here who is prepared to face it.

Sam: So then what is art?

Hally: You want a definition?

Sam: Ja.

Hally: [He realizes he has got to be careful. He gives the matter a lot of thought before answering.] Philosophers have been trying to do that for centuries. What is Art? What is Life? But basically I suppose it's... the giving of meaning to matter.

Sam: Nothing to do with beautiful?

Hally: It goes beyond that. It's the giving of form to the formless.

It's just that life felt the right size in there... not too big and not too small. Wasn't so hard to work up a bit of courage. It's got so bloody complicated since then.

There's nothing wrong with the world. It just goes around and around, and you gotta get on with your life.

I’m in the business of making people realize that their opinions aren’t worth the paper they’re written on.

He's a white man and that's good enough for you.

Sam: There's no collisions out there, Hally. Nobody trips or stumbles or bumps into anybody else. That's what that moment is all about. To be one of those finalists on that dance floor is like... like being in a dream about a world in which accidents don't happen.

Hally: Jesus, Sam! That's beautiful!

Willie: [Can endure waiting no longer.] I'm starting! [Willie dances while Sam talks.]

Sam: Of course it is. That's what I've been trying to say to you all afternoon. And it's beautiful because that is what we want life to be like. But instead, like you said, Hally, we're bumping into each other all the time. Look at the three of us this afternoon. I've bumped into Willie, the two of us have bumped into you, you've bumped into your mother, she bumping into your Dad... None of us knows the steps and there's no music playing. And it doesn't stop with us. The whole world is doing it all the time. Open a newspaper and what do you read? America has bumped into Russia, England is bumping into India, rich man bumps into poor man. Those are big collisions, Hally. They make for a lot of bruises. People get hurt in all that bumping, and we're sick and tired of it now. It's been going on for too long. Are we never going to get it right? ... Learn to dance life like champions instead of always being just a bunch of beginners at it?

Hally: You've got a vision, Sam!

Sam: Not just me. What I'm saying to you is that everybody's got it. That's why there's only standing room left for the Centenery Hall in two weeks' time. For as long as the music lasts, we are going to see six couples get it right, the way we want life to be.

Hally: But is that the best we can do, Sam watch six finalists dreaming about the way it should be?

Sam: I don't know. But it starts with that. Without the dream we won't know what we're going for. And anyway I reckon there are a few people who have got past just dreaming about it and are trying for something real.

Flicker of morbid interest.