Nanzikambe actors back from Germany
Nanzikambe actors Mphundu Mjumira and Robert Magasa have said the country has talent which is failing to be exposed fully because of lack of resources.
The two actors, who have just returned from Germany with their colleagues Mbene Mbunga Mwambene and Catherine Phiri, said their tour was a success as they managed to sell Malawi through theatre.
In Germany, the Nanzikambe actors staged a two-man act titled Waiting for Godot and an adaptation o f Animal Farm titled Chivundungweru.
“I went to Ge rmany courtesy of a partnership between Nanzikambe Arts and Theatre Konstanz of Germany. We performed at a festival which was part of celebrating 100 years of the conflict that was there in Roman Catholic and it was in turn resolved in Konstanz,” explained Mjumira.
He said the other cities were also part of the celebration.
“The trip was a success, we impressed with our plays, we learned a lot from the Germany actors and they also learned from us. We also had 24 actors from Cuba. We met a lot of people including politicians, who were willing to hear our problems,” said Mjumira.
He said that many heaped praise on them for their excellent work adding that this was a street festival which run under the theme Mind your position.
“We were the only theatre group from Africa and that just shows you that we are doing well in the country. The only barrier for Malawi is the resources,” said Mjumira.
Asked why they staged adaptation plays written by foreign writers and not work on local pieces, Mjumira said they were asked to choose plays that would be relevant to the people in Germany.
“We just followed what the organisers asked us to do and looking at the stories we settled for Waiting for Godot and Animal Farm. But then we still tried to sell Malawi,” he said.
Unl ike Mjumi r a and Mwambene, who starred in Waiting for Godot, and have been to Germany several times, it was the first time for Magasa and Phiri.
Magasa said the tour gave him exposure and that the piece Chivundungweru was fused with traditional dances, folktales and narration which he said gave them enough room to show all the skills.
The actor, who is also a contemporary dancer, observed that their friends in other countries have proper funding but it is a different story in Malawi where they have to sweat to get the support.
Apart from performing in Germany, Mjumira said they also had performances in Switzerland.
Meanwhile Mjumira and Magasa also revealed that they currently working hand in hand with Cuban actors and that they might leave for performances there
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