Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
When Highlanders Football Club celebrates 100 years, the story goes beyond trophies and records. It is a story of Bulawayo’s identity, culture, passion and the generations of supporters who have stood by the club.
It is this deeper connection that Umahlekisa Entertainment seeks to capture when it stages “The Roast of Bosso@100”, a one-night-only theatrical production set to celebrate the iconic football institution’s 100-year journey through comedy, music, storytelling and nostalgia.
The production is scheduled for August 21 at Bulawayo’s Large City Hall, bringing together the worlds of theatre and football in what promises to be a memorable centenary tribute to Zimbabwe’s oldest and most celebrated football club.
Conceived by Umahlekisa Entertainment chief executive officer Ble Mutandwa, the production will take the popular roast concept, which the comedy outfit has successfully used to celebrate public figures, and transform it into a larger cultural experience honouring Highlanders’ influence beyond the football pitch.
Dubbed “The Centenary Roast Of…”, the show aims to celebrate Bosso’s remarkable 100-year journey while exploring the club’s place in the hearts of millions of Zimbabweans.
Mutandwa said the idea was born out of the realisation that Highlanders represents far more than a sporting institution.
“Highlanders is more than a sports team. It’s an identity, a birthright, a fashion statement and a way of life. We wanted to create an event that reflects everything Bosso represents beyond the football pitch,” he said.
For generations, Highlanders’ famous black-and-white colours have symbolised pride and belonging, with match days becoming celebrations where music, fashion, chants and community spirit come together. It is this unique legacy that Umahlekisa Entertainment hopes to bring to life.
Rather than simply recounting Highlanders’ victories and challenges, The Roast of Bosso@100 will present the club as a living character with a century-long story filled with triumphs, heartbreaks, rivalries, traditions and unforgettable personalities.
“The show will laugh with Bosso, not at Bosso. We’ll celebrate the dramatic victories, revisit the painful defeats, poke fun at the iconic chants, relive unforgettable moments and honour the supporters whose loyalty has carried the club across generations,” Mutandwa said.
The choice of venue adds another layer of significance to the production. The historic Large City Hall, one of Bulawayo’s most recognisable landmarks, will provide the setting for the centenary celebration. Known for hosting major cultural and civic events over the years, the venue mirrors the heritage and significance associated with Highlanders.
“There couldn’t be a more fitting place to host this conversation. The Large City Hall represents history, heritage and community – the very values that Highlanders embodies,” Mutandwa said.
The production will be divided into three major sections, beginning with a theatrical musical journey through Highlanders’ history. Supported by a live band, performers will use music, dance and dramatic storytelling to take audiences from the club’s early beginnings in the 1920s to its modern-day digital era.
The second segment will introduce the main attraction, the roast itself. Led by an experienced Roastmaster, a panel featuring comedians, journalists, former players, cultural commentators and devoted supporters will humorously explore Bosso’s century-long story.
From legendary victories and painful defeats to famous rivalries, club folklore and iconic personalities, the roast will examine every aspect of Highlanders’ colourful history through satire and affection.
Mutandwa stressed that the humour will come from a place of love.
“The essence of every roast is affection. You only roast what people genuinely love. Bosso has earned that honour because it belongs to the people,” he said.
Adding to the atmosphere, organisers plan to transform the venue into a celebration of Highlanders culture, with black-and-white themed décor, food experiences, interactive installations and ushers dressed in the club’s famous colours.
The evening will essentially become a living museum celebrating a century of football heritage.
Although the full panel is yet to be announced, organisers have revealed that it will include a mix of football legends, cultural personalities, comedians and some of Highlanders’ most recognisable supporters.
“The panel will represent different generations because Bosso belongs to everyone, from those who watched the club’s earliest chapters unfold to young supporters discovering its legacy today,” Mutandwa said.
The production continues Umahlekisa Entertainment’s tradition of using comedy as a platform to celebrate influential personalities and institutions. Previous roast editions have honoured figures including dancer and musician Sandra Ndebele, arts administrator Saimon “Mambazo” Phiri, the late rapper Cal_Vin, Bulawayo Mayor David Coltart and singer Novuyo Seagirl.
However, Mutandwa believes celebrating an institution of Highlanders’ magnitude presents a new creative challenge.
“This time we’re roasting an icon that belongs to an entire city. Bosso is woven into Bulawayo’s identity, and that allows us to tell stories that everyone can relate to,” he said.
Beyond entertainment, organisers see the production as a way of preserving football history through the arts, allowing younger generations to connect with Highlanders’ legacy through a contemporary and engaging format.
With preparations underway, Umahlekisa Entertainment has invited corporates, institutions and businesses interested in partnering with the landmark centenary production to come on board.
