An adaptation piece of Franz Kafka’s Report to the Academy titled State of the Ape Address, featuring Tawonga Taddja Nkhonjera, was staged at Madsoc Theatre in Lilongwe over the weekend.
The one-act play, staged on Friday, followed by two other performances on Saturday and Sunday.
A Mwezi Arts production for Madsoc Theatre season, produced by Hazel Musochera and directed by Stanley Mambo, speaks to the people today, highlighting vital issues such as pollution, neo-colonialism, modern-day slavery and self-esteem.
Taddja said he enjoyed the three acts and the support that the audience gave him.
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“People patronised the three shows and it just shows that there is still that love for theatre and people enjoy intellectual and thought provoking theatre.
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“I absolutely gave it my all in this new production because we have included adaptations that speak to people today on many other themes,” he said.
Tadjja, who has also written and directed a number of productions, said they were not done with the production as they were planning to showcase it at Theatre in Mandala at Jacaranda Cultural Centre in Blantyre and thereafter tour with it in Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa.
“We are also planning for a Canadian tour next year. We are also appealing to schools, especially colleges and high schools, to book the show under the Literature Live programme, where we showcase the play and then have literature workshops with the students,” he said.
Musochera also said the performances were “super good” and that next up at Madsoc Theatre will be a production titled An Act of Man to be performed by Zimbabwean renowned actor Zenzo Nyathi and Educating Rita.
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“We deeply appreciate all those that attended the three performances and we are encouraged by the positive feedback and reviews,” Musochera said.
Phillip Kuipa Phiri, who is an actor and filmmaker, said State of the Ape Address is not just a play but rather a thought provoking exploration into the human condition, wrapped in the guise of an ape’s struggle for freedom. The play delves into the yearning for freedom, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
He further said that the play highlights the futility of escape for the apes, symbolising the struggles faced by black Africans and that the theme of not being able to escape oneself underscores the harsh reality that “no matter how much one emulates another culture, true equality often remains elusive”.
In the play, Red Peter, played by Taddja, an ape who was shot, captured and scientifically tamed to mimic human action and speech, presents his story to members of the academy – A State of the Ape Address.
Red Peter loses the memory of what being an ape feels like. To fit and find a way out, he adapts to handshaking, smoking, spitting, scrolling, performing and drinking.
