The Sunday Mail
Takudzwa Chihambakwe
WHAT a dull year it was for theatre!
It was everyone’s hope that the return of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (Hifa), after a year sabbatical in 2016 would help boost theatre productions but that was not the case.
Hifa is known for staging thought-provoking theatrical productions. Thus, players in the sector are kept on their feet making top-notch productions that befit the annual fiesta. This, in turn, improves productions of the particular year.
However, it seems the Hifa break had adverse effects on theatre players. They have since then struggled to come up with pulsating productions. Most of the 2017 theatrical productions exhibited at Hifa were not up to scratch.
They lacked the vintage killer punch, consequently setting a dull tone for the remainder of the year. Momentum created by superb 2016 productions such as “Lamentations at 12” and “Liberation” by Rooftop Productions and Savana Trust respectively, easily evaporated.
Stars of 2017, Savana Trust and Rooftop Productions decided not to work on new plays, with the latter resorting to touring. The touring focus, however, worked wonders for Rooftop Productions as they excelled at the Edinburgh Fringe. Savana Trust performed in South Africa but there was nothing to write home about.
So dire was the situation in this sector that Theatre in The Park had to be let out for “other businesses”. The venue has in the past played a pivotal role in providing rehearsal and performance space to many established and growing thespians.
But it had over the past year or so turned into a venue for weddings, church services and musical concerts as they were very few theatrical productions available. Furthermore, the available few were of poor quality such that some had to be dropped completely.
Reps Theatre as usual, played it safe. They stuck to doing renditions of plays from gurus like William Shakespeare. The strategy worked as they managed to retain most of their “paying” audience throughout the year. Conversely, there was not much to talk about in terms of productions at the newly established Theatre Pa Bridge.
Yes, activity is taking place but the quality of productions is just not there. More needs to be done by Edzai Isu Trust for the platform to leave an indelible mark on the theatre scene. In Matabeleland, there was some activity from the likes of Bambelela Arts Ensemble as they carried out auditions to spot new talent and rejuvenate their productions – but that is far as it went.
However, kudos go to Bulawayo theatre hub, “Theatre For Everyone”. The theatre hub managed to nurture a 22-year-old novice, Khaliphile Sibanda, to direct her debut play, “It’s Not Gold”. That is commendable considering the limited resources at their disposal and the impact of such a gesture on continuity in the sector.
Another production house that did well from that region was Nhimbe Trust with their stellar musical, “Tellers”. This is undoubtedly the best theatrical production in 2017 and we hope to have more of those in the coming year.
Hurungwe Arts Festival had a very quiet year by their standards and ultimately failed to go for their tour in Kenya. Charles Austin Theatre had a moderate year hosting various events, key amongst them, the Doug Hill School’s Competition.
But the major highlight for the year was the formation of the Zimbabwe Theatre Academy. The institution is key in the honing of raw talent in the sector, especially physical theatre.
