The last time theatre lovers watched a one-actor production was longtime ago when Mbene Mbunga Mwambene, who is now based in Switzerland, staged a play titled Story of a Tiger.
And so on Sunday afternoon Paragon Arts Theatre journeyed all the way from Lilongwe to premiere yet another one-act play titled Alidzi at Jacaranda Cultural Centre in Blantyre during Theatre in Mandala.
For the younger generation the name Alidzi is strange but for the older folk, it is not new as it was attached to the country’s first head of stage, the late Hastings Kamuzu Banda.
It is not easy to star in a one-act production and keep people focused throughout. There is so much demand in a one-act production where an actor has to concentrate and be as much creative to connect with the audience.
Starring James Phiri, the play, written and directed by Philmon Kuipa, walks with the people through the struggles that Africa is facing and tries to bring solutions.
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In his acting prowess, Phiri talks, dances, cries, walks, runs and sings as he empties the struggles of Africa and engages the audience at will with an aim of not losing them on the way.
In one scene, he recaps songs that people used to sing at tender age and, so, the not so huge audience which included some theatre practitioners such as playwright Innocent Katsache and Bright Chayachaya could not resist but sing along.
The actor bows out with poet Q Malewezi’s piece in the background, which resonates well with some of Africa’s struggles.
The strength of the production is that it has more breathing space for additions and the playwright can rework it and even add new things to always keep it fresh.
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Kuipa, who received a round of applause after the production, said Alidzi was inspired by the need to voice out African concerns.
“Some people have said everything falls on leadership, so Alidzi is talking about leadership, somebody taking a lead in emancipating Africa. I was looking at what is happening around Africa and how we have suffered and I have connected it to Alidzi because he is one leader that is revered for his work,” he said.
Kuipa said he has always advocated for change through his art and that his work is always focused on activism.
“From here, we will premiere the production in Lilongwe and then I will also be bringing another two-act production to be premiered in July this year,” he said.
Curator and coordinator of Theatre in Mandala Fumbani Phiri, who is also a playwright, said they were excited to have Paragon Arts Theatre bring a different production.
“They brought something new and the production tells stories we need to hear as Africans. Theatre is changing and there is growth,” Phiri said.
He said theatre lovers should brace for more productions with another play set for June 2, which will be combination of different actors through interactive theatre workshops that they held.
