The Good President comes to Bulawayo

THE political satire which Zimbabwe’s State media does not want you to watch is coming to Bulawayo!

The Good President  is staging at the Bulawayo Theatre, May 11th and 12th, courtesy of the continuing collaboration between Rooftop Promotions the producers of the play and Amakhosi Arts Centre of Bulawayo. The play is performed at 5:30pm and 7:30pm on both days. Admission $15 000.

There are limited seats so book right away for reservations from the offices of Bulawayo Theatre and from Amakhosi.

Written and directed by Cont Mhlanga, founder and head of Amakhosi and produced by Daves Guzha of Rooftop Promotions, the play stirred controversy when it premiered at Theatre-In-The-Park in Harare recently attracting good crowds and provoking serious debate on its plot.

The State media, which reflects Government thinking, did not waste time dismissing the play as the work of enemies of the State who wanted President Mugabe out. But the general theatre buffs held the production in the highest esteem as a play for people who are inspired by moral virtue.

The Good President defines humanity towards the institution of leadership in the broader socio-political context. Mhlanga then uses recent events of the barbaric beatings of political leaders, opposed to President Mugabe’s rule, to guide his plot. It is a play for everyone but deliberately targeted at the political leadership as the brick and mortar that binds society together.

In typical satire the play employs humour, ridicule, irony and exaggeration to criticize the bad sides of society in dramatic style.

The writer’s assertion is that there is no vicious way of killing humanity than failing to respect and defend the institution of leadership. It is not African culture to beat a leader elected or otherwise and then go on to display the images for the young ones to see.

Mhlanga says the beatings give the impression that society could survive without leadership which is a misnomer because lack of leadership results in chaos.

The cast in the two-hander are Thembi Ngwabi and Mandhla Moyo, both celebrated products of Amakhosi.

The State media mobilized and in unprecedented attack on a piece of art shredded the play scene by scene describing every bit of the production as the work of political activists masquerading as artists.

At least two major State dailies and a weekly said the play was not of any national value, was “sick” and sought to stir emotions and hate with the ulterior motive to see President Mugabe out. One of the papers accused sections of the diplomatic community of supporting the production to embarrass the ruling elite and portray the police as a bunch of thugs. 

Guzha has since put it on record that the play was supported entirely by his production house. Mhlanga said the play was not commissioned work either but his own creation inspired by Zimbabwe’s political landscape.

Play well received at Lusaka festival

THEATRE buffs gave thumbs-up to the play What They Said What They Got during performances at the April International Festival in Lusaka, Zambia end of April.

The play was staged at four different venues including the Lusaka Play House and the University of Zambia where audiences, in discussions after the performances, were generally of the view that the production helped to promote public debate on various issues affecting Zimbabwe. Shrinking space for democratic public debate due to draconian laws is one such issue. One of the performances was exclusively for members of the Press.

What They Said What They Got is a multi-issue driven production that interrogates the relations between society, culture and the media. Fundamental human rights issues are questioned when characters, set in modern day Zimbabwe, ironically find themselves stuck in constitutional situations reminiscent of the colonial times. The play criticizes repression in Rhodesia and questions why the same was obtaining in a supposedly free democracy.

Cultural dimensions extend into the plot with a conflict between a husband, who is a journalist tormented by State restrictions, and a wife who moonlights as a scribe. The play was inspired by the day-to-day issues raised by the news media. It was written by Raisedon Baya and directed by Walter Mparutsa. Daves Guzha produced the play.

Workshops on a diversity of theatre issues were held as part of the festival held between April 21st - April 29th. Yezi Arts, an arts management body in Zambia runs the annual festival.
…from Lusaka to Mannenberg in HIFA spirit

FRESH from the tour of Lusaka for the April International Festival the play What They Said What They Got is staging at The Mannenberg, Harare, in a week when the international focus on the arts is on Zimbabwe with the hosting of the annual Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA).

The play which premiered in November last year is staging: Tuesday 1st May (4pm); Wednesday 2nd May (11am); Thursday 3rd May (2pm) and Friday 4th May (4pm). Admission is $15 000.

Among the cast are some of the hottest names in theatre including Eunice Tava and Mandla Moyo both current award winners for the best actors in the prestigious National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA).