NOVEMBER 20 to 22 2014 has been set aside for Intwasa Extra. The Extra is a three-day and three-show extravaganza organised under the Intwasa banner to usher Bulawayo residents into the festive mood.
OWN CORRESPONDENT
Two of the shows, UMbiko kaMadlenya and Comedy Night were the most popular events during the recently-held Intwasa Arts Festival KoBulawayo and are being brought back by public demand.
The third show is a new collaborative piece by Raisedon Baya, Memory Kumbota and Nelson Mapako. The new, crazy and very physical play is called The Taking.
The Taking is about history and the issues of land and freedom of speech. It will premier during Intwasa Extra
UMbiko kaMadlenya Date: November 20
Venue: Bulawayo Theatre,
Time: 7pm
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Admission: $5
UMbiko is a story of a local hero turned villain. It takes its title from its antagonist Mbiko kaMadlenya.
After Mzilikazi’s death, the Ndebele state is thrown into a leadership crisis as the fate of Nkulumane, the heir apparent, remains a mystery.
It is the succession issue that nearly cracks the foundation of the state. The language of the play is powerful and mind-blowing.
Though the play is done in English (to appeal to a wider audience), the language taps from Ndebele idioms, proverbs and symbols.
The story line is simple and fluid. The praise poetry and chants complete it as a true traditional production.
The play was adapted from Mayford Sibanda’s classic Ndebele novel of the same name by Thabani H Moyo. It was directed by Nelson Mapako and choreographed by Richard Ndlovu.
The Comedy Night Date: November 21
Venue: Bulawayo Theatre
Time: 7pm
Admission: $5
A night of many laughs. After a successful run during Intwasa 2014 the comedians are back and they are at the top of their game.
Make a date with Q the Boss, Clive Chigubhu, Babongile Skhonjwa, Ntando Moyo and many others for a strong dose of local comedy. This will be definitely a night to remember.
The Taking Date: November 22
Venue: Bulawayo Theatre
Time: 7pm
Admission: $5
New, experimental, crazy, very physical and thought-provoking, The Taking will take you back into history — to colonisation, liberation, and the land issue — land as a national treasure and heritage and also as a source of conflict.
It is no surprise that years after the invasions land continues to be a source of conflict among our people. The land issue is a simmering volcano in many an African country.
Using vivid imagery and clever storytelling, the play questions the role and place of storytellers and their stories in present-day Zimbabwe. The Taking takes no sides, but seeks to remind us of where we come from and who we are as Zimbabweans.
In this new play, a storyteller is arrested for performing folktales without a censorship or clearance certificate from relevant authorities. During the same week, a young farm labourer/maid is also arrested on suspicions of murdering the old white farmer who had adopted her while she was young.
Their stories connect as the play gathers momentum.
“Theatre is an institution that deals with memory,” the playwright, Raisedon Baya, said.
“With The Taking, the idea is to take our audiences back to those chaotic years and make them remember.
“Theatre is a bank where we should keep our very important national narratives and then, once in a while, take them out for everyone to remember who we are and where we come from.
“The Taking is universal in that it is about survival and identity.”
The play features the talents of Gift Chakuvinga, Zenzo Nyathi, Elton Sibanda, Aleck Zulu and Musa Sibanda.
Do not miss the Intwasa extra! Hotline numbers: 09 -63928, 0772814185, 0782447731, 0772214373
