Baya’s A Water Story play to be redone

ancestors, gods, spirits, as well as God himself have an influence on water deficiency and drought.

In an interview, Baya said that the play was still relevant despite the latest rains that have come after a dry spell that plagued Bulawayo for months.

“Despite the heavy downpours over the city in the last few days I still feel the play is still relevant because the rains have been largely absent over the past few months. We are therefore gearing for a re-run of the play because this is a story that still needs to be told,” he said.

Baya attributed the poor showing of the play last year to the lack of a proper marketing strategy, a problem he said was affecting the theatre industry in Bulawayo as a whole.

“I think that marketing for most shows is poor hence the poor crowds that we see at most theatre displays. However it should be noted that there are not enough productions out there in the first place that people can go and see. It would be wrong for us to cry about poor crowds when last year they were only about three or four productions showcased,” he said.

Baya said crowd apathy could be attributed to the lack of unity among producers and directors.

“I think it would be helpful if we could get together and present our productions in a more organised manner. If one producer has a play five days apart from that of another it would help to put heads together and have both plays premier on the same day rather than adopt a scattered approach that helps no one,” he said.

Baya said that he was working on a play set to premier on World Theatre day in March while also preparing for this year’s edition of the Intwasa Arts Festival.