Kwathu launches new play
Kwathu drama group took on stage drama a masterpiece that unearths another form of childlabour to an appreciative audience, recently at the French Cultural Centre in Blantyre.
Staring Bon ‘Winiko’ Kalindo as Uncle Nyo, John ‘Izeki’ Nyanga as village headman, Eric ‘Jakobo’ Mabedi as Munyolowa and Evance Mbewe as Mwamuna Sakalamba the play; Lonjezo, was a marvel to show.
From the word go, the collabo of these theatre gurus kept the audience laughing and clapping throughout the show while others had no option but to shed tears.
The play, which was written by Charles Mphoka and directed by Mabedi, urges parents to take a huge role in educating their children whether they are rich or poor.
In nutshell, the play is about a man, Manyolowa (Eric Mabedi) and his wife who were very poor but still wanted their daughter (Brenda) to continue with her education after being selected to start form one at a certain secondary school.
They moved up and down in hunting for school fees for Brenda but to no avail. But lady lucky smiled at them when they approached Mr. Mamuna Sakalamba (Evance Mbewe), a prominent businessman in the village who promised to be responsible for Brenda’s school fees throughout his academic life on one agreement: To marry Brenda in future in return for the school fees but behind Brenda’s knowledge but only the parents and her uncle Nyo (Winiko).
But after Brenda completed her tertiary education at a certain nursing school, the parents made a U-turn that Mr. Mamuna Sakalamba could not marry their daughter because there was no reason for that.
This didn’t go well with Mamuna Sakalamba who passes a death sentence to the entire family through magic for failing to fulfill their parents. At last the issue was resolved by a village headman (John Nyanga) who demanded receipt from Mamuna Sakalamba to prove that he really paid the school fees.
Unfortunately, Mamuna Sakalamba, who earlier lost two wives, did not have the receipt as he used to pay the money directly to Mr Munyolowa based on mutual understanding. Long at last, Brenda married with his longtime school boyfriend Mike.
One of the patrons to the show, Austin Kakande described the piece as the best of the best emerged from the Chichewa drama in this millennium.
“Just like an old wine in its gourd; these guys are just gong better and better with time. I have watched most of the Kwathu Plays, but none of their plays manages to suspend my emotions as Lonjezo. Each twist brought its own surprises as the theme stretches on. I even find the coalition of Winiko and Evance Mbewe unfaultable,” said the Chiwembe resident.
In an interview after the show, Kwathu drama group artistic director Mabedi, said apart from urging parents to be responsible towards the education of their children the play was created to preach against sugardadies as a way of protecting Malawian children.
“Sugardadies should not just think within the boarders of their wealth. The days have greatly changed; what was morally upright in 1950 is no longer viable today. And also parents should strive for morally viable means to educate their children to avoid selling them to rich vultures,” he said.
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Posted by malawi voice
on May 8 2010. Filed under ENTERTAINMENT, LATEST NEWS.
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