‘Rituals’ set to thrill Zambian audiences

in an effort to promote Zimbabwean theatre outside the country.
The team leaves for Lusaka, Zambia, tomorrow and returns on April 22 in time for two performances at this year’s Harare International Festival of the Arts.
The tour will see the cast holding seven performances at venues like Lusaka Play House, University of Zambia, Quill Club and various community and religious centres.
This will provide Zimbabweans who are based in Zambia with an opportunity to watch doubtlessly one of the finest theatre productions ever to emerge from Zimbabwe recently.
According to Tafadzwa Muzondo, Rooftop Promotions’ marketing and sales executive, the play will be “targeting religious leaders, human rights or civic groups, journalists, artists, university students, politicians, the Zimbabweans resident in Zambia, and the general Zambian public”.
Written by award-winning playwright Stephen Chifunyise, the play tackles the issue of community initiatives and politics. Daves Guzha – the Zimbabwe National Theatre Award Leadership Award winner – directed and produced the play while Mandla Moyo, Zenzo Nyathi, Joyce Mpofu, Chipo Bizure, Silvanos Mudzvova and Rutendo Chigudu make up the cast.
Joshua Mwase and Gibson Sarare provide the background music.
This is not the first time that Rooftop Promotions have taken some of their plays to Zambia.
They have done it before with productions like “Super Patriots and Morons”, “What They Said What They Got” and “Power of Prayer Pvt. Ltd” among others.
“Zambia is our neighbour with a similar political history with whom we have shared a lot in terms of arts and culture presenting Zambian plays such as ‘Daughters and Workmates’, ‘Up the Vices Staircase’ among many others for consumption by the Zimbabwean audience.
“It is imperative that we share the Zimbabwean story and strengthen the need for healing, reconciliation and peace at regional level,” said Guzha.
Guzha said the tour was also meant to further strengthen ties between Rooftop Promotions and the National Arts Council of Zambia, Mthangatambeta Players’ circle and the Lusaka Playhouse, among others.
The tour will coincide with the April Theatre Festival that is commemorated every April in Zambia.