‘Ten Bush’ premieres in Harare

6-17.
The play has a local cast comprising Nothando Nobengula, Getrude Munhamo, Caroline Mashingaidze, Vusa Dzimasha, Anthony Mazhetese and Eddington Hatitongwe.
While the three female members of the cast have featured in several productions that have shown at Theatre in the Park, it is their male counterparts who will all be making their debuts at Zimbabwe’s premier theatre venue.
“Ten Bush” is an ancient settlement surrounded by sugar cane farms near the border of Swaziland.
In this version, the village was built on the graves of the nine Swazi chiefs who were betrayed by the 10th chief — Malaza — during a battle with the Sothos, hundreds of years ago.
Since then, it has been cursed with poverty and famine, and the first daughter from Malaza’s line has been barren.
Martha, Malaza’s heir, is tasked at the beginning of the play, to lift the curse by sacrificing her unborn daughter to appease the departed ancestors who still haunt “Ten Bush”.
But Martha is barren and orders her sister to sleep with her husband instead — a decision that has consequences neither Martha nor any of the other inhabitants of Ten Bush could have foreseen.
A tale of betrayal, revenge, conspiracy and forbidden young love, this production has been written and directed in a physical theatre style that draws from African traditions and such innovators as Theatre de Complicite. “Ten Bush” is the first foreign production to be featured in this year’s Theatre in the Park calendar, and comes to fulfil the foreign quota set aside for regional and international plays.
However, it will not be the last one as another production from Zambia is coming to Theatre in the Park in December.
Daves Guzha of Rooftop Promotions expressed his joy at having this production come to Theatre in the Park
“This is a pure piece of art and we are really honoured to have Mncedisi agree to come and do this play and, most importantly, to share his theatre experiences with the Zimbabwean practitioners,” said Guzha.
While in Zimbabwe, the experienced and well-travelled Shabangu will share his skills and experiences with Zimbabwean actors and directors.
Set in a rural settlement known as Ten Bush, the play is a dramatic and intensely visual tale of witchcraft and intrigue where witches are set on fire and men can vomit up snakes and stones.
Ten Bush relies heavily on props and these are skilfully utilised on a simple and movable set design.
It’s very much an ensemble piece and the actions of the actors are mirrored by sound effects from those who aren’t in the scene at the time — often with an interesting twist.