Online Reporter
Mbulelo Mpofu [email protected]
LOCAL thespian Zenzo Nyathi is relishing the opportunity to take Zimbabwean theatre to a regional platform, with the actor set to star during the debut of Raisedon Baya’s The Taking at the inaugural October International Theatre Festival (OITF) in Eswatini.
The festival, running from October 1 to 3, will provide a platform for theatre practitioners, visual artists and other creatives to exchange ideas, showcase their work and engage audiences through performances, workshops and exhibitions.
For Nyathi, the opportunity is particularly significant because of the festival’s inaugural edition and the responsibility that comes with representing Zimbabwe on an international stage.
“The fact that it’s the inaugural makes it excitingly special. On the flipside, it’s work, hey, and if not me (us), who then?” Nyathi told this publication.
Nyathi will be part of the cast of The Taking, Raisedon Baya’s 2014 play directed by Memory Kumbota, which confronts one of Zimbabwe’s most enduring and complex questions – land.
The production examines the country’s relationship with land across different periods of its history, tracing the story from colonial displacement and the liberation struggle to independence, the promise of redress and the land reform exercise.
Through its narrative, The Taking explores how land has remained intertwined with Zimbabwean identity, politics and the economy, providing audiences with a theatrical lens through which to consider an issue that continues to shape national conversations.
Nyathi will share the stage with Lonesome Kudzai, Alex Marowa, Albert Tshuma and Dalubuhle Nyoni, with the ensemble driving the production’s exploration of the country’s complicated land question.
The Eswatini festival will also broaden the experience beyond theatre performances, creating a meeting point for creatives from the Kingdom of Eswatini and the wider region.
Over three days, the OITF programme will feature 10 theatre productions and 15 theatre masterclasses, complemented by workshops, visual art exhibitions, murals and a street festival.
Adding another dimension to his participation, Nyathi is scheduled to facilitate a Children’s Theatre workshop on October 1, the same day he takes to the stage with The Taking.
The workshop will allow him to share knowledge and engage other practitioners and participants on the role of theatre in creating experiences for younger audiences.
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