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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
BULAWAYO-based director, John Mabuyane is set to premiere his debut one-man performance next month which seeks to create consistent dialogues on challenges that men face in society.
The play titled Dick Print will make its debut at the Bulawayo Theatre. It is a collaboration between Mabuyane and Elton Sibanda, a man who identified his talent as an actor, screenwriter, director and producer.
Mabuyane who is behind the scriptwriting of award-winning short-films Scars and Amanxeba made his acting debut last year on the international award-winning film Gonarezhou where he played the role of a waiter.
“My first love is theatre. I started doing theatre in 2011 at Gifford Boys High and attended lessons for theatre and writing at Nhimbe Trust, graduating in 2016.
“I then fell in love with film and that’s when I auditioned for a role in Gonarezhou in 2017. This was my debut in the film industry and saw me acting with legends Eddy Sandifolo, musician Tammy Moyo and Tendai Chitima among others,” Mabuyane said.
He said his passion for theatre led him to craft a one-man act.
“On Dick Print, I revisit my first love, theatre with a hard-hitting controversial play that promises to blow the audiences minds, win their sympathy, make them laugh, start a dialogue and above all, bring people back to the theatre.”
He said men succumb to a lot of societal pressure, but such hardships are not shared as they are expected to toughen up and be strong.
“Most of them end up taking the easy way out which is suicide thus we need to have more plays, films and series that focus on male issues. We need to push male stories as much as we push feminist movements as both genders have problems,” added Mabuyane. – @mthabisi_mthire
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