Stomp the stage as Khaya Arts premieres theatre masterpiece

Mbulelo Mpofu, Showbiz Reporter

IF you thought dancing the uMlando Dance or Zekhethe was the in thing, think again! Nothing beats the original clap of the hands fused with the systematic stomp of the feet in gumboots.

Last Saturday, Khaya Arts Traditional Dance Ensemble premiered their play Ngomdladla The Dunamis at the Bulawayo Theatre.

Halloween most surely came early when the gumboots men and women hit the stage as it was both tricky and a little bit spooky. The gumboot dance reigned supreme. Directed and choreographed by Future Dube, the stage production was set in the gold minefield, Umgewu mine. The play explored the life of miners and the harsh conditions in which they live.

Driven by different circumstances, five friends find themselves at this establishment and their lives change. What starts off as friendship grows into a brotherhood that knows no race, language, or stature. Thirteen years down the line, the wives, tired and frustrated by the time they’ve spent alone without their husbands and in need of their conjugal rights embark on a surprise mission to the mine.

Anticipation quickly turns into mayhem when the wives find their husbands’ loins in conversation with the local hookers’ wares. In the midst of the chaos, an untimely closure of the mine is announced and it is more gloomy for the estranged miners.

On the night, what was even more noteworthy was how the director of the ensemble collaborated with other artists to bring this masterpiece to life. The cast featured a team from the old guard and also incorporated the dynamic duo Asante Mo. This was the first time that the dance ensemble performed with a live band and the end result was one to remember.

After the production’s premiere, Future Dube told Chronicle Showbiz that Khaya Arts is set to tour the country and the region before going international.

“We’re going to be taking this stage play to other parts of the country. Regionally, we’ll start with Botswana and hopefully, stage it abroad,” said Dube. – @eMKlass_49