3 May 2008
Another playwright has taken a dig at President Robert Mugabe's controversial 28-year rule, with a play set to take the forthcoming Umthwakazi Arts Festival by storm.
The Crocodile of Zambezi, set in a fictional country along the Zambezi River, is a result of a two-year collaboration between the playwright, Raisedon Baya, and Christopher Mlalazi.
It explores a day in the life of the troubled country's aging leader, on the throes of a personal and professional crisis.
On that particular day, the leader celebrates his 94th birthday by ordering a general amnesty for all political prisoners.
This sees his alter ego, a man he has been keeping prisoner for years, also being released.
A train is commandeered for the birthday celebrations and the leader comes into contact with his nemesis in the train.
A confrontation between the two brings to light issues of succession, retirement and leadership crisis.
Preparations for the premiere of the play are said to be at an advanced stage with a cast drawn from youths and experienced actors having already been recruited.
It features the likes of National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) award nominee Aleck Zulu, veteran actor Patrick Mabhena, Zenzo Nyathi and singer-cum-actress, Pamela Gonye.
Baya said he was thrilled the play would be finally staged after two years of hard work
"The time is now ripe for this kind of play because we should keep reminding ourselves and those that lead us that we should never be prisoners in our own homes," he said. "This project has taken a lot of time and courage to put together.
"We started working on the script two years ago but we had to abandon the idea halfway through when we felt the atmosphere was not safe enough for us to put up such a critical work."
Baya is known for such plays as Super Patriots and Morons, Madmen and Fools and Tomorrow's People.
The last two titles won National Arts Merit Awards (NAMA) for best production, while Super Patriots and Morons was nominated for The International Freedom of Speech award.
The festival will be launched on 19 May in Bulawayo and will run under the theme "Bringing People Together".
The festival's main objective is to bring the people of Bulawayo together and celebrate life and the arts.
Among disciplines that will be featured are film, poetry, music, dance and the literary arts.
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