The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo
The inaugural edition of “A Time With Uncle Steve” series of plays is on this Friday at Theatre in the Park.
A collaboration between Chipawo Trust and New Horizon Theatre Company, this initiative which is meant to honour Stephen Chifunyise, presents the staging of at least one play every month from the late veteran thespian at Theatre in the Park.
The first play to be staged is titled “Vicious” and features Chipo Basopo, Tafadzwa Munjoma, Kidman Basopo, Kundai Chipagara, Sabinah Rwatizha, Nigel Chindungwe and Robert Chiyama. It will be staged on Friday and Saturday.
The play was written and directed for United Nations Population Fund by the late Chifunyise and approaches the problem of poverty and Aids from a fresh perspective. It highlights the way which the lives of people that are well-off can sometimes be affected by a struggling extended family.
In some cases they end up feeding, educating and even housing unemployed and/or sick relatives. These situations can end up stretching their budgets to the extent that they might no longer afford some of the things they used to in the past.
The play explores how culture also plays a part in such scenarios as it makes it difficult, if not impossible, to refuse to take up such responsibilities.
It also takes a look at the girl child issues and how cultural considerations make sexual health discussions with parents very difficult.
Stephen Chifunyise was the founder of Chipawo and the principal of the Zimbabwe Academy of Arts Education for Development. He was also the chairperson of Chipawo up to the time of his death.
There are over 60 plays to his name with various themes exploring Zimbabwe’s culture, its modern mores and topical burning issues.
