adminhis plays, “The Father” and “Miss Julie”, done by two Zimbabwean theatre groups, Complete Arts Projects and the Global Arts Trust.
Strindberg is a Swedish playwright, novelist and short-story writer, who combined in his works psychology, naturalism, and later elements of new literary forms.
A Shakespeare of the Scandinavian literature, Strindberg wrote on the role of women in society something that probably could have been inspired by his relationships with women.
During his life, he was married three times — and several of his plays drew on the problems of his marriages and reflected his constant interest in self-analysis.
A sensitive and controversial writer, Strindberg represented the 19th century ideal of artist as a free personality, unrestrained by convention.
Even in his plays, you can’t help but observe that he sometimes blamed women for his woes.
Bitterly disappointed in love and apparently tormented by other issues, he vented his frustrations through generic denunciations of women.
Although he claimed that “the presence of women tends to elevate men”, and that a man cannot survive without a woman, he staunchly maintained, “Every healthy man is a woman hater.”
Complete Arts Project director Peter Churu said they decided to join other theatrical production houses across the globe in celebrating the August Strindberg Centenary in recognition of his contribution to theatre.
“He was a writer who was heavily misunderstood by some sections of the society and some scholars who felt that he was anti-feminist.
“All he was doing was to question the dynamics of male and female relationships.
“He was well ahead of his time. Although he was married three times, he never disowned the marriage institution and really appreciated its importance in societies,” Churu said.
Churu added that his play “Miss Julie” has been euphemistically called the first feminist play.
“The issue in the play ‘Father’ is about paternity versus maternity, which is quite relevant to our Zimbabwean culture.
“Even in Shona we say ‘Gomba harina mwana’, a conflict that clearly comes out in this play,” he said.
“Miss Julie”, a one-act tragedy, is no doubt a brutally frank portrayal of the most intimate thoughts of man and of the age-long antagonism between classes
Strindberg, himself the result of the class conflict between his parents, never felt at home with either of them.
All his life he was galled by the irreconcilability of the classes; and though he was no sermoniser in the sense of offering a definite panacea for individual or social ills, yet with master touch he painted the degrading effects of class distinction and its tragic antagonisms.
Churu and Elizabeth Muchemwa directed the two plays.
The Swedish Embassy in Zimbabwe and the Culture Fund will be supporting the event, which is expected to attract art enthusiasts from various organisations across the country.
Online Reporter