Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena [email protected]
Umkhathi Theatre Works are set to honour the life and legacy of its late member Ishmael “Litshe” Mavingi with a tribute show in Emakhandeni suburb, on October 10, with the venue for the show yet to be announced.
The tribute show will feature a fusion of dance, music, poetry and theatre as Umkhathi seeks to celebrate his contribution to the arts.
Litshe died on September 22, 2024, in a shocking incident to the local arts fraternity as he had shown no signs of illness.
Umkhathi Theatre Works director Matesu Dube said Litshe was a respected figure in the local arts sector and played a key role in the group’s productions.
He said his death left a void that had been difficult to fill, particularly because he played leading roles in most of the group’s productions.
“Two years gone by without Litshe, life has not been the same at Umkhathi during rehearsals and shows. We miss his ideas, his creativity and contribution at Umkhathi.
“He played lead characters in most of our productions and it has been difficult to replace him in the roles that he played. It is not that the other actors are bad, but because of the bar set by Ishmael when he played those characters.
“It has been difficult for the team to move on without him. It has taken us almost two years to recover from the loss of Ishmael. We managed to move on by telling each other that we need to work hard and not lose focus because he is no longer with us, but we keep his spirit alive,” said Dube.
Dube said Umkhathi had partnered with Litshe’s family to organise the memorial show, with the aim of keeping his legacy alive while also creating an opportunity for the family to benefit from his work.
He said Emakhandeni was chosen as the venue because it was the suburb where Litshe grew up and spent much of his life.
“For this event, we have partnered with his family to do a memorial show for him to keep his legacy alive. We will celebrate his life with live performances from musicians and dance groups at Emakhandeni where he grew up.
“The inspiration for this show comes from the fact that he contributed a lot to the creative sector as a dancer, actor and musician. This is also how we are honouring the more than 20 years he spent at Umkhathi and 30 years in the arts as a whole,” said Dube.
Dube urged arts lovers to support the tribute show and celebrate Litshe’s contribution to Bulawayo’s creative sector.
“Arts lovers should expect the best of Bulawayo arts during this show. We invite them to come and enjoy music and dance during this show. They should join us in celebrating his legacy,” he said.
In his lifetime, Litshe featured in several Umkhathi productions during his career, with his portrayal of King Lobengula standing out. He played the Ndebele monarch in Ihloka, an award-winning production, as well as Bayethe Nkosi. His performance in Ihloka earned him a Best Actor award at the Bulawayo Arts Awards.
He also worked on productions such as Amanxeba and other Umkhathi stage works, establishing himself as one of the group’s leading performers through his ability to combine acting, dancing and singing.
