For years, theatre maestro Du Chisiza Jr stood out as one of the dramatists, who fearlessly used theatre as a weapon to hit at politicians and the government in order to push for change especially where things were not going the right direction.
On Saturday, theatre lovers saw the same trend at Golden Peacock in Lilongwe when Waz Arts Theatre reawakened such recollections when they premiered their second political satire titled Reverend Bolamoyo.
Back on the same spot where they pronounced their birth with their debut play – Bwabwalala, another political satire two years ago, Waz Arts Theatre has remained faithful to drama for activism with an aim of bringing about change.
On a beautiful sunny afternoon where the capital city was eventful including a TNM Super League match between Silver Strikers and FCB Nyasa Big Bullets, expectations were high that theatre fans would show up in large numbers but it was not the case.
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But those, who came had a perfect outing as they sampled a production that the audience followed with keen interest from start to finish with some feeling they were left in suspense with the political satire at the end.
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Written by renowned journalist Suzgo Chitete and directed by seasoned actor Jeremiah Mwaungulu, the production got a warm-up from musician Zizwa before its action.
The play delves into a story of a couple of the Jumairi’s played by Mwaungulu and Jacqueline Ndhlovu, who are desperate for a child.
The couple tried going to a witchdoctor to change their situation but to no avail before later seeking the intervention of Reverend Bolamoyo played by Chitete.
As the couple negotiates their position, several matters come into play including the country’s journey to where it is today with scenes retelling the audience of the leadership radar.
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In its satirical ride, the play, which still needs stitches and has room for improvement, looks at the current state of the country and its governance before the audience gets relaxed but the script comes to an end.
“Last year I watched Bwabwalala, I was impressed. The new production is good, the message is crucial especially on how the country is functioning. As Misa Malawi, we believe in free expression for the democratisation of the country,” Misa Malawi chairperson Golden Matonga said.
Legislator Joshua Malango also described Reverend Bolamoyo as a mature production which has the elements of pain, laughter, emotions and romance.
“The production has left us in suspense but there are several takeaways. There is a message for everyone,” Malango said.
Chitete, who shone once again with his acting skills, observed that there is a pool of actors ready to perform but lack of incentives is a major drawback.
“Generally stage drama in Malawi is struggling. Not easy to manage when you consider production costs in relation to returns. Not many are willing to invest in this area. Otherwise, while film is trendy, stage drama is another powerful means for political advocacy,” he said.
Mwaungulu said it was a perfect thing for them to come back.
“It is not an easy task but we thank God that we have premiered the play. Blantyre is next. This for us is theatre for activism,” he said.
Anthony Masamba, who is the group’s production manager, said they have been working on this play for some time and that through their performances; they want to contribute something towards mindset change.
“We thank people who showed up and partners, who supported us. We have been funding ourselves but it is now high time players came on board,” Masamba said.
Other actors in the play are Francis Chimalizeni, Mary Chilongo and Blessings Suya.
