Impressive turnout for ‘Achithekere’
Kwathu Drama Group over the weekend premiered its second 2018 production, Achithekere, with the climax at Blantyre Cultural Centre (BCC) on Sunday pulling a huge audience.
The first performance was at Gymkhana Club in Zomba before the BCC showdown.
The play, written by veteran actor Charles Mphoka, delves into the issue of marriages with a focus on arranged and child marriages.
The play looks into the families of Achithekere and Majawa.
Set in the village, the Majawa family of Mphoka and Enifa Chiwaya has a girl-child by the name of Love, played by Emma Chikwembeya.
In fact, the name Love was given by Achithekere’s wife.
However, the Majawa family finds it hard to educate Love because of poor financial muscle and efforts to get help from Love’s uncle (Ferguson Magona), who had pigs do not materialise.
They end up seeking help from Achithekere, played by new recruit Gift Lizakuwe, who took the responsibility of paying school fees for Loveuntil she goes all the way to pursue nursing studies.
Achithekere, who has a brother (Bon Kalindo) also starring as Achithekere 2, plans to marry Love once she finishes her education.
But it is not to be as, after finishing her tertiary education, Love finds a man of her choice, who is a doctor.
This does not go well with Achithekere, who, with his brother, want Love as his wife or else she has to pay back all the money he has spent on her.
In search of justice, the Achithekeres take the issue to the chief, played by Linda Chatha, who, after hearing from both sides, rules that there is no way Achithekere can marry Love.
She goes on to say Achithekere and Love are not within the same age bracket and that she has a right to marry a man of her choice.
The climax of the play leaves the audience in stitches as Achithekere 2 is at pains with the ruling of failing to get Love, who he can inherit through culture.
The play has accommodated some of the current issues happening in the country and that includes the divisions in the ruling Democratic Progressive Party.
Having stitched several of Kwathu’s plays alongside Mabedi, Mphoka’s plays have the same style.
The group has restricted itself to using simple stage setting which has been questioned by some quarters as being old-fashioned and not embracing modern theatre as well as funny costumes.
But while some may say Kwathu should work hard on its stage management, the simple style they use seems to be okay to others and to them their strength lies in their mature messages and stories that relate to day-to-day life.
Kalindo, better known as Winiko, who is Kwathu’s spokesperson, hailed people for their support.
“The support we get from people is overwhelming and it keeps us on our feet. From Blantyre, we turn to Lilongwe and we are also looking at going to other places, unds permitting,” Kalindo said.
He said Kwathu was there to entertain and educate the masses.
“This play speaks highly of issues of gender and rights of children,” he said.
Hendrina Hanke described Achithekere as educative and that the message has come at the right time.
“It’s a mature play and, if you observe, there are a lot of child marriages out there and this should stop. Parents have to safeguard their children’s rights,” Hanke said.
Mabedi said Mphoka came up with the play after observing that cases of child marriage are on the rise in the country.
“There is a lot in the play and we are happy with the support we got at Gymkhana and today at BCC,” Mabedi said.
Achithekere comes barely a month after Kwathu premiered their first 2018 production Umboni Wamwana written by Kalindo.
Other actors starring in the play are Mussa Penoh and Moses Mandebvu.
Achithekere will be staged at Lilongwe Town Hall on June 10.
“We would, actually, like to thank MultiChoice Malawi for their support. They have been there for us; they have supported us with advertisement to reach out to our fans,” Mabedi said.
He said the group is committed to tackling real life issues and bringing about solutions.
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