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Zimbabwe: Hifa Another Roaring Success Despite Socio-Economic Turmoil
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Zimbabwe Standard (Harare)
10 May 2008
Posted to the web 12 May 2008
Sandra Mandizvidza and John Mokwetsi
DESPITE the economic meltdown and the post-election political violence, the 2008 edition of the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) provided a welcome relief for many.
A big multinational crowd attended the festival, run under the theme "The Art of Determination".
Last week, HIFA spokesperson Tafadzwa Simba said although they were still collating figures of this year's attendance, the numbers were "overwhelming".
"We are happy because many people attended and tickets for certain shows, such as Freshlyground and Oliver Mtukudzi, were sold out days before they were staged," he said.
There had been fears the festival would flop after a number of artists pulled out because of the tense political situation.
"We were really let down by artists who decided not to come, but we are happy that we managed to replace them with some great artists," said Simba.
Among those who opted out of the festival were the London Festival Opera, who were due to stage one of opera's most revered works, Tosca, and Les Amazonnes de Guinee, an all-women band from West Africa sponsored by the Embassy of France.
Angie Nussey, a female performer from Canada and French musician Pascal Danae, did not turn up either.
Another absentee was South African legend, Hugh Masekela, who had been expected at the festival. But his presence could be felt in his great songs in the musical Truth in Translation, a production of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
And as has been the case in past editions, HIFA staged a play imitating the Zimbabwean political landscape -- the brilliant Loupe, brought to the festival courtesy of the HIFA Direct Project by the British Council.
Written by Mandisi Gobodi, an acclaimed playwright and screenwriter, the play is directed by Patience Tawengwa and Lloyd Nyikadzino, featuring award-winning actor Tafadzwa Muzondo and theatre debutant John Pfumojena, in the cast.
The play tackled homosexuality, promiscuity and partisan politics with a remarkable flow and fluency. There was something refreshing in the lighting effects, the stage arrangement and the blending of the two-man cast that had the audience hugging and praising the actors at the end of the play.
There was also a good performance by the Prince Edward School Jazz group.
And nothing could have been more enjoyable than a performance by songstress Chiwoniso Maraire and her band that joined forces with Trio Ivoire in a mellow yet passionate Africa Day performance.
The South African music outfit, Freshlyground made the crowd go wild with their hit Pot Belly, and had the multitude in tears when they sang Bob Marley's song Zimbabwe at their sold-out show.
Oliver Mtukudzi, guitarist Louis Mhlanga and South African flutist and saxophonist, Steve Dyer, proved to the audience why they were regarded as "the best of all times".
Local poet Comrade Fatso fused hard-hitting protest poetry with music to produce one of the most creative performances seen at HIFA so far. Comrade Fatso chose lyrics depicting the agony and condition of the masses yearning for a better life.
Jill Day, a HIFA spokesperson said last week: "The festival went on well and it was good to see people mixing and taking time off to enjoy an arts menu that is world class.
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"The attendance amazed us and we are happy with the way things went."
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