Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, Arts and Entertainment Hub
UMKHATHI Theatre Works, known for their captivating portrayals of the Ndebele Kingdom’s political and social history are set to bring a fresh theatrical adaptation of Icala Lezinduna to life.
The play, a re-imagination of SJ Nondo’s book, will be staged on 17 April at the Bulawayo Theatre.
Icala Lezinduna is a Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (Zimsec) Ndebele Advanced Level set book. To adapt it for the stage, Umkhathi Theatre Works has partnered with the Centre for Talent Development (CTD), led by Thabani Hillary “TH” Moyo.
Umkhathi Theatre Works director, Matesu Dube, described Icala Lezinduna as a compelling tale of Ndebele succession, featuring historical figures such as Chief Gundwane Ndiweni, Nkulumane, Zimqumbi kaSiwela, King Mzilikazi and Mncumbatha.
“The storyline revolves around Chief Gundwane Ndiweni, a paramount leader entrusted by King Mzilikazi to lead a faction of the Ndebele people in search of new land,” said Dube.
“King Mzilikazi led one group while Chief Gundwane led the other, with hopes of reuniting later. However, after several seasons without word from the King, Chief Gundwane permitted the opening of Inxwala (the first fruits ceremony), an act traditionally reserved for the King. This decision set off a chain of events that shaped Ndebele history,” he added.
The play retains the richness of the Ndebele language, incorporating idioms and praise poetry while using a hybrid theatre style that blends acting, music and dance. However, adapting it from book to stage was not without its challenges.
“It was difficult to translate some aspects of the story into a visual format. I doubt SJ Nondo ever envisioned his work being performed on stage,” Dube admitted.
“One of the biggest challenges was portraying King Mzilikazi’s dream sequence. The script has him sleeping and dreaming, which isn’t easy to depict on stage. To resolve this, we transformed the scene into a monologue and used projected images to illustrate his dream.”
Another hurdle was the play’s extensive dialogue and large number of characters, some of whom only had a few lines.
“We had to condense certain scenes to keep the audience engaged while preserving the essence of the story,” Dube explained.
Following the Bulawayo Theatre performance, Umkhathi Theatre Works aims to tour schools across the country. As the play is based on a set book, Dube believes it will help students understand their history and perform better in the examinations.
“We’re committed to producing Ndebele-themed theatre because these are epic stories that must be told and preserved. Too often, we see foreign works like Shakespeare’s, yet we have our own rich narratives that deserve a platform,” he said.
With Icala Lezinduna, Umkhathi Theatre Works continues its mission to revive and celebrate the history of the Ndebele Kingdom, ensuring that the knowledge is not lost but passed down to future generations.
