The Sunday Mail
Arts genres like theatre, for instance, do not get much attention from reporters because it is not a walk in the park dissecting a play.
THERE are many art forms that we as arts and culture journalists cover.
Of course, most reporters prefer or are exposed to music and even as they cover music, they merely focus on the personalities and seldom the music itself — critiquing the lyrical content, the beat, arrangement, etcetera.
Arts genres like theatre, for instance, do not get much attention from reporters because it is not a walk in the park dissecting a play.
The question is just how well do our Zimbabwean arts journalists know their way around a play?
I am not talking about dates when the show will take place, interviews with the playwright, director and or producer. I am not talking about the hyping of certain individuals set to feature in the show either, I am talking about exploring the themes and ideas of the writer.
That review, which aptly describes the production, weighing key technical elements such as diction, the quality of writing, presentation, flow of play, costume, set and lighting.
So when I heard Zandile Ndlovu aka Zaza, the vice president of the Arts Journalists Association of Zimbabwe (AJAZ), talking about organising a workshop for arts and culture reporters, I was naturally excited.
Theatre is my first love in arts reporting.
I have consistently covered theatre since 2008 as a cub reporter and I went on to win two theatre awards — one from the International Theatre Institute and another one from the Zimbabwe Theatre Association.
Ndlovu says the workshop is set for end of this month, and even though I have been in the trenches for a while, I would still love to attend that workshop to further my grasp of the art form.
I urge other arts journalists to do likewise if they have any hope of being able to articulate in writing what they watch week in, week out at Theatre in the Park, Reps Theatre, Alliance Francaise and other venues dotted around the country.
Said Ndlovu: “I did literature at school and generally love theatre. So I get very frustrated when I see someone failing to explore a theme or message behind a play.
We are failing not only our readers but our playwrights and actors as well.
“We need our journalists to desist from being exclusively music reporters. Our articles have become monotonous, we need to make them more lively and engaging.”
She said theatre practitioners themselves would also attend the workshop so that there is dialogue involving all parties.
Ndlovu says she intends to hold another workshop with international trainers later on during the course of the year in a bid to “help our journalists touch on all facets of the arts, improve themselves and stand out”.
What is happening in your part of the country in the world of theatre?
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