A date with a goblin

28 Aug, 2016 - 05:08 0 Views
A date with a goblin

The Sunday Mail

Takudzwa Chihambakwe
The play exposes the horrors that one who is being tormented by goblins goes through and how family members who expose them to such trauma seem to care more about money than their own flesh and blood. The subject of child abuse is also brought up neatly. Also arising is the interesting perspective of how some spiritual healers rape children in the name of healing.

POLITICS, comedy and romance are the main themes of Zimbabwean theatre. Plays are mostly predictable. However, I had a refreshing experience Wednesday evening as I watched a brave cast from Bulawayo’s “Theatre for Everyone” take a bold step and explore something else — goblins.

Based on a true story, the hour-long “Untikololotshi (The Goblin)” brings out the shocking realities of how some people can go to any lengths in the quest for prosperity. While this is a dark subject, the theatre company presents it with a good dose of humour.

“I wrote this play during British Council and Royal Court play writing programme,” said playwright Nonhlalo Dube. “I was inspired by true life story of a girl who was sexually abused by a goblin at school. I had an opportunity to chat with her as she narrated what used to happen then I created my own story around that.”

The play exposes the horrors that one who is being tormented by goblins goes through and how family members who expose them to such trauma seem to care more about money than their own flesh and blood.

The subject of child abuse is also brought up neatly. Also arising is the interesting perspective of how some spiritual healers rape children in the name of healing.

The play is loaded with humour and the drama towards the climax is dizzying.

But before that grand finale, the play tends to meander in the first 15 minutes which could switch off audiences that have to endure scenes that do not add value to the story.

Another flaw is that the cast is too big. Instead of having eight people on stage, four would have sufficed.

That said, it is good to see teenagers making up most of the cast and committing to their characters well, especially the main character Khosi, played by Tsitsi Gumbo. They have the potential to blossom into stars.

“Theatre for Everyone’ is a monthly theatre programme that intends to build up theatre audience attendance whilst also creating a marketable, sustainable and support worthy theatre industry.

“We have produced five plays to date namely; ‘The Ben 10’, ‘Untikolotshi’, ‘Reflection’, ‘Kosha’, ‘The Drifter’ and ‘Who’s Wise’,” said Dube.

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