It was Arthur Evansa�� year

Bruce Ndlovu
ARTHUR Evans has a lot to smile about in a year in which he went from one of the Citya��s under-appreciated talents to one of its favourite sons.

The a�?Acea�? as he is popularly known in entertainment circles, pulled off showbiz coups of the year when he debuted his show on DSTVa��s Zambezi Magic earlier in the year, instantly becoming a beacon of hope for many others on a Bulawayo arts scene that limped through 2016.

It was a tough year for everyone else all round. Crowds at shows continue to dwindle for musicians, while theatre practitioners continue to display their excellent talents to near empty theatre houses.

The festivals endured a torrid year as funding dried up as the countrya��s economic woes mounted. Amidst all that gloom, Evans could be forgiven for being a little boastful in the year in which he was the brightest spark.

a�?I think the show is the highlight of my year. I realise that ita��s not only my highlight but the highlight for Bulawayo and one of the many highlights for the country,a�? said Evans during an event to toast to the showa��s current and future successes.

The event itself, held at Mpala Lodge and Conference Centre on Tuesday, was a glitzy affair that attracted the whoa��s who of the local showbiz scene.

Dressed to the nines, local personalities took the opportunity to swarm around a man that showed that Bulawayoa��s brightest talents could generate buzz far beyond the City of Kings.

a�?For Bulawayo and me being raised in the city and getting on a regional platform to celebrate our own talent has been incredible,a�? he said. As important as it was for him that his show successfully take flight, Evans also recognises the fact that it would all be for naught if he is not able to pass the torch for other talents from Bulawayo to run their own race.

a�?Just like what the show tries to do by promoting local acts, you will see this again next year the official launch of a talent management company. Basically we will be managing local acts.

a�?Over the past decade and a half I have learnt how to do things and how not to do things so I want to pass that knowledge down,a�? heA�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A�A� said.

However, Evans also highlighted that getting the show aired on DSTV was only half the job, as he had to keep the eyes of viewers peeled to their sets in order to keep it on air. Thus, the ratings for the Arthur Evans shows will determine how long his fairytale run on regional TV lasted.

a�?Ita��s a big factor. Ita��s a very big factor for any channel. If people are not watching the show then there is no point in putting the show out. At the moment, as DSTV get its ratings from a couple of countries with Zambia being one of its benchmarks and the show is doing very well in Zambia,a�? he said.

While 2016 was his year of triumph, Evans said that it only primed him for more success as, with the clock winding down on the year, his eyes were firmly set on more success. A few touch-ups to the already successful show would thus be necessary.

a�?Number one, in terms of the technical delivery, we are going to improve that so that there is a lot more for viewers to see. I want to see if I can incorporate a live studio audience so that people from Bulawayo can also come and see and be part of the live experience.

a�?The line-up that we have got (for the next season) right now is incredible. It actually covers even more countries,a�? he said. .