Women shine at play premiere

lasting impressions at the premiere of a new play titled “365” running at Theatre in the Park.
The trio excelled in their roles with outstanding performances that thrilled the audiences.
Written by Zimbabwe’s perspective playwright Stephen Chifunyise, “365” is a critique of gender imbalance and violence advocating for not just 16 days but 365 days of activism against gender violence.
Mai Janet (played by Dlodlo) has an abusive husband who thinks “men and women are not equal”.
Having been brought up in a patriarchal society, Mai Janet fears passing that to her daughter.
At the same time she’s worried that her seemingly fearless and carefree daughter might not be marriage material.
Her son wants to be the opposite man that his father is but his soft heart is considered as “unmanly” and his passion for equality is misconstrued.
When he does dishes, cleans the house and iron clothes to give his sister time to study for her examinations, he gets rebuked by his father who labels him “a woman in a man’s body”.
Dlodlo, popularly known as Mai Madziwa on local soap “Studio 263” has featured in a number of screen productions.
Many were impressed by her naivety in the play when as a victim she becomes the sympathiser of the perpetrator of violence.
She not only refuses to seek protection order against her abusive husband but also denies taking him to court. She endeared herself with the role of a victim of gender-based violence such that many thought it was real.
Evangelista charmed the audiences when she acted in two roles: one as tete and then as Rudo, the young sister to Mai Janet.
The petite actress simply nailed it when she tried to solve the problems that Mai Janet was going through.
First she featured as Rudo who advises Mai Janet to seek legal advice on how best to stop her husband from abusing her.
The elegantly dressed Rudo even asks her sister to leave her husband and move in with her to which Mai Janet refuses.
But the audience went into jibes of laughter when she returned as tete (aunt). She exuded natural flow on the subject and in the process won hearts of many.
Evangelista is touted as the fast growing stage and screen actress having featured in the play titled “Dependence” at Theatre in the Park as well as her “bitchy” roles in productions such as “Small House Saga” and “Big House Small House”.
Rumbidzai is another firebrand and debutante who rose to the occasion.
She once featured in a play titled “Apokalupsis” which was nominated for Outstanding Theatrical Production at Nama 2010.
However, as a student at the University of Zimbabwe’s Theatre Arts (Honours) degree, Rumbidzai could be the next big thing to happen to the local theatre scene. Hers is a combination of talent and creativity, which makes her standout. In 365 she acts as Janet.
Since the play premiered on International Women’s Day, naturally it was befitting for the producer, Daves Guzha to let a woman direct the play.
His choice of the award-winning director Patience Tawengwa paid off as she exhibited an understanding of women’s issues.
Patience is no newcomer to theatre having directed some of the acclaimed plays like “Loupe” and “Allegations” which have been staged at Theatre in the Park and toured countries like Algeria, Ireland and Scotland.
Given the amount of talent that is in Zimbabwe, it remains to be seen whether women would hold their own in stage theatre.