Iyasa ropes in Austrians in new play

Auxilia Katongomara

Saturday Leisure Correspondent

ZIMBABWE’S dance exponents Iyasa is working on a new play with Austria-based actors in a theatre production titled Identity (As Long As We Are Together).

 

The play which deals with issues of clichés and loss of identity from both the African and European set-up began early this month and saw eight Austrians coming to Bulawayo for rehearsals.

In an interview, director of Iyasa, Nkululeko Dube said the theatre play was their third collaboration with Austrians.

“We have done two collaborative productions African-Fairytale in 2007 and Schlf-Gup, which means good night in 2012.

Our project began 12 years ago when we made our maiden trip to Austria and we have been working on it since then,” said Dube.

He said their productions were going through transitions as they were audience targeted.

“Our first production — African-Fairytale is a play targeted at children aged 10 and above.

“It is a comparison of the trials and tribulations children in Africa and Europe go through in their childhood.

“We were striving to demystify a myth and perception of the African child. The picture most people in Europe have is that of skinny and unhealthy children.

“Schlf-Gup is for the kindergarten mainly from two-year-olds, it is mainly African lullabies,” he said.

Dube who has been at the helm of the multi-award winning ensemble said Identity was targeted at an older generation.

“Identity is a collaborative performance that explores the youthful life and the bigger generation.

“We have youths here in Africa who try to be white, as much as possible. They want to identify with the European way of living,” said Dube. He added that the production to be premiered in Vienna in March this year would be made up of 16 actors, eight Austrians and eight Zimbabweans.

He said one of the Zimbabwean actors was Sithembile Menck, a Bulawayo-born and German raised actor who has a cross-cultural background.

Dube said the Austrians led by Sarah Ostertag were exposed to a “real” African setting upon their visit in the country.

“They came to have real feeling of African, they went through the streets, they visited homes and they stayed within family set ups during their two weeks stay,” said Dube.

Since its formation at the turn of the millennium, Iyasa has produced about 10 productions.