'Once they've been here long enough, they're no longer squatters. Then they're simply...
Neighbours.'

In the quaint suburban community of Stillwater, a mysterious shack springs up from the dust with the inhabitants nowhere to be seen. As speculation abounds, new residents Sihle and Bonolo are recruited by their neighbourhood to be the face of a campaign to demolish the shack.

Funny, thrilling and provocative, Amy Jephta's play A Good House is an explosive exploration of race, resentment and community politics, about a couple who discover the limits of good neighbourliness and what is required to fit in.

It was first performed at the Royal Court Theatre, London, in 2025, directed by Nancy Medina, in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic in association with The Market Theatre, Johannesburg.

About the Author

Amy Jephta is a South African playwright and screenwriter based in Cape Town. She was named one of the Mail & Guardian's 200 Top Young South Africans, is a recipient of South Africa's highest art accolade, the Standard Bank Young Artist Award, and is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center Theater Directors Lab. Other plays include This Liquid Earth (Edinburgh International Festival/Royal Court/HighTide), All Who Pass (Grahamstown National Arts Festival) and Kristalvlakte (The Fugard Theatre).

Reviews

'A lacerating racial and social satire... morally nuanced, exhilarating and deeply humane... an utter joy to watch'

* Telegraph *

'Mischievous and unpredictable'

* The Times *

'Superb... a community-clash drama with a sophisticated treatment of race and gentrification... the satire glints with sharp edges, reminiscent of Yasmina Reza's God of Carnage in its barbs and verbal volleys'

* Guardian *

'Excruciatingly funny and highly enjoyable'

* Financial Times *

'Biting and subversive... exquisitely awkward... Each of Jephta's richly drawn characters is intriguingly flawed, and surprisingly relatable'

* The Stage *

'Raucously funny... perceptive, provoking fun'

* Evening Standard *

'Immensely enjoyable... whirls brilliantly around a super simple idea... a constant joy to watch... Stuffed full of amazing lines, A Good House is a very good play'

* Time Out *
'Amy Jephta's writing is startling. It's a fast-paced script which has you laughing one minute and shrinking into your seat in uncomfortable horror the next' * Everything Theatre *



Book Information
ISBN 9781839044212
Author Amy Jephta
Format Paperback
Page Count 112
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Weight(grams) 130g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 9mm