The one-act play State of the Ape Address, starring actor, filmmaker and playwright Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera, is still on mission in South Africa.
This is a physical monologue adapted from Franz Kafka’s A Report to the Academy.
It is being staged by Mwezi Arts in association with partners.
The tour started in October this year.
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Since its premiere and run at Madsoc Theatre in Lilongwe in March last year, the production, directed by Stanley Mambo and produced by Hazel Musochera, has existed beyond the Madsoc Theatre season with performances in five countries, namely Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa, and featuring at festivals.
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The production is back in South Africa and Nkhonjera, who has starred in a number of productions, said yesterday that they had done nine shows.
“Things are going on well. We have, so far, done one show at Windybrow Arts Centre, two shows at Alex Theatre, four shows at the TX Theatre and two shows at Theatre Arts in Cape Town,” he said.
As we went to press, Nkhonjera was holding another show at Theatre Arts.
“It has been two months now in South Africa. In total, we will have 12 shows,” Nkhonjera said.
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He said many people were not familiar with Malawian theatre in the Rainbow Nation.
“They come to the shows not knowing what to expect but, at the end of one hour and five minutes, they all rise in resounding applause. They want to discuss the performance for hours and they are enthralled by the production,” the actor said.
He said since they arrived in South Africa, they have had interviews with producers, artists, cultural journalists and students.
“We are sure we have marketed ourselves well and we are looking forward to more bookings in more theatres in Africa and beyond,” Nkhonjera said.
Recently, Thandeka Masango from Windybrow Arts Centre described the production as mature in that she got a sense of colonisation in the show.
Windybrow Arts Centre said the production by Nkhonjera marks the beginning of interactions and engagements with Mwezi Arts.
