adminYeukai Karengezeka Arts Correspondent
At least 19 plays will première at this year’s Intwasa Festival scheduled to run from September 23-27 in Bulawayo.
Festival director Raisedon Baya said there will be four full length theatre pieces among other plays from across the borders.“Theatre is a major discipline at the festival and it comes second only to music and this year is no difference as there are four full length theatre pieces from the professional circuit.
“The four pieces are complemented by the popular Live Literature Project with its three set-book plays, ‘Lion and the Jewel’, ‘Colour of Hope’ and ‘Importance of being Ernest’ and the finals of the Plan High Schools Drama Competition,” he said
The festival is hosting 19 plays, all in line with the festival’s objectives of child and youth participation and development, celebrating diversity and human creativity and providing alternative spaces for expression.
“The pieces have different themes and issues tackled range from simple relationships to complex ideas of womanhood, succession, leadership and disability. From the professional circuit are the plays ‘Mothers from the Women in Theatre’, a Nhimbe Trust project. The play will do a national tour of Gweru, Harare, Mutare and Masvingo before coming to Intwasa at Bulawayo Theatre,” he said.
“Mothers” is a beautifully written and yet complex story of the relationship between two women, a mother and her daughter.
The play features Sarah Mpofu Sibanda and Musa Sibanda and was directed by veteran actress Thembi Ngwabi of Amakhosi Theatre.
“Mbikoka Madlenya” is a historical play commissioned by Intwasa Arts Festival and Bulawayo City Council for 2014.
The play premières at the festival and is an adaptation and re-imagination of the classic Ndebele tale set in 1871, two years after King Mzilikazi death.
The play deals with the near crisis that nearly consumed the Ndebele nation when it became difficult to install a new leader.
Adding an international flavour to the programme is South African play “For Generations”.
The play is an autobiographical piece that traces the actor and writer Kurt Egeholf’s family life through four generations.
The play has been performed to critical acclaim at many South African festivals, including the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.
To complete the line-up will be Jasen Mphepo, with his one man show about death and looking back called “1 000 Miles” premièring at the festival.
He is known for his powerful roles in award winning plays like “Super Patriots and Morons”, “Waiters”, and “Prisoner XYZ”.
Online Reporter