Spoken Word lives up to its billing

cultural event of the year.
My reason for attending this event was merely to assure myself that the Alliance Francaise was as suitable venue for this genre of performing arts as was the Fife Avenue Book Café that had become the home of the Spoken Word for years until its closure last December.
I believe strongly that the availability of suitable and easily accessed venues is one of the most critical factors in the development of the arts industry.
I had previously attended functions hosted by the Alliance Francaise, which included plays and seminars in the small theatre space which I thought would not be able to accommodate the spoken word enthusiastic audience and performers who used to overflow both the Book Café and Mannenberg spaces.
When I got at the venue at about 15.30 hours when the spoken word show was expected to start, I found a few familiar faces of performing artistes sitting on the open space that used to accommodate diners of the “‘AlloAllo” Restaurant which has now found a new home.
On the main floor of the restaurant were musical instruments and public address accessories and a couple of technicians assembling their musical gear.
Comrade Fatso, who is the artistic facilitator of the Magamba Cultural Activist Network, which was organising the event, welcomed me.
Comrade Fatso assured me that sooner than later the event would become alive and that he had an excellent line-up.
I did not doubt him because under his guidance and direction  the Book Café and Mannenberg venues had witnessed some thrilling spoken word events in the 2010 and 2011 season.
In a matter of minutes Cde Fatso took the microphone and welcomed everyone and invited the first performer to grab the opportunity.
From then on I was mesmerised not only by the impressive line-up of young performance poets, stand-up comedians  and hip-hop rappers from Mutare, Harare and Chitungwiza, who  in a short space of time showed not only the rich diversity of the type of spoken word but also the  high quality of what came out  of their youthful mouths.
Although I was not privileged to witness the performance of the big Zimbabwean “mouths” who featured in the big Poetry Africa event last year I left for the Nama ceremony convinced that the spoken word was a fast growing performing arts movements which the nation should be made aware as it is another easily accessed avenue to be entertained, informed and education.
Many aspects of this spoken word event that need to be highlighted impressed me.
Firstly, the open air space that uses the former “AlloAllo” Restaurant as the stage was most appropriate space for this type of performing arts event.
The relaxing and fresh-aired atmosphere allowed the ever-growing group of appreciating patrons to sit down or to remain standing and mingling and even to dance or perform along with those on the stage.
Secondly, the audience, which predominantly comprised of young people, was able to access the show free of charge and were given an opportunity to register to perform.
So even when the regular performance poets, hip-hop rappers and stand-up comedians were performing individuals who underrated themselves got the courage to request for the platform.
I left before these individuals finally got hold of the microphone.
Thirdly, the late afternoon time for this event is ideal for young people who my be expected home by  sunset.
By the 17.15 hours when I left for Nama many satisfying presentations had been made in all the categories of the “Spoken Word”.
Fourthly, the material presented in Shona and English was clean, mature, relevant, diverse in content, entertaining and very educative.
Most of the material presented would very appropriate for both radio and television. 
I was delighted when informed during this event that some the performing artistes who graced this event such as Comrade Fatso and Simba The Comic King  regularly appear  on the  Thursday evening comedy show by the Bang Bang Club at the Red Bar in Newlands.
Other big names include Zimbabwean stand-up comedy Carl Joshua Ncube, Edgar Langeveldt and Michael K, who break the ribs of those patrons of the comedy night who had learnt to bring spare ribs for the inevitable rib-cracking roaring laughter.
The same comedy giants will appear regularly at the Simuka Comedy shows that will grace the new Book Café along Samora Machel Avenue when it opens its doors this month.