Entertainment / Local
Inxusa Festival kicks off
27 Mar 2014 at 07:04hrs | Views
The Inxusa Festival re-launched on a high note on Tuesday evening with the opening ceremony bringing theatre arts to life in Bulawayo.
The four-day theatre festival, running under the theme "Merging Cultures" returned with a bang after having been suspended in 1999 due to economic hardships. The re-launch coincides with Amakhosi Cultural Centre's 19th anniversary celebrations.
Delegates who included Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Supa Mandiwanzira, university lecturer Lawton Hikwa, and artistes Raisedon Baya, Sarah Mpofu and others enjoyed the theme song Mas'thokozeni which was performed by Ramzy Kasawaya and (Gogo) Thembi Ngwabi.
The main stage was colourful with wall paintings depicting an African village with a woman dancing in the foreground with two men in the background doing the same. The paintings were done by students from Chinhoyi University who also came up with the festival's new logo.
The appreciative crowd sang along to the catchy tune and chorus. The main highlight of the night was the play Song of A Woman, which was written by various women in Nhimbe Trust's Women in Theatre (WiT) programme. The two-hour play was directed by Thembi Moyo, produced by Nonhlalo Dube and acted by a six-member cast.
Song of A Woman is the story of Fanta, a young woman who is caught in between cultural and modern values of marriage. She is confused about who to listen to between her mother-in-law and her aunt who want different things from her. Her mother-in-law accuses her of bareness and wants grandchildren and her aunt on the other hand is concerned with material things that come from her marriage. The story gives hope to the marriage institution when Julius, Fanta's husband stands by her side and promises to love her forever with or without children.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Minister Mandiwanzira planted a tree in the cultural centre's orchard, becoming the third minister to do so, following Francis Nhema and Obert Mpofu.
Director of the festival Cont Mhlanga said the festival would be bigger and better in three years' time.
"This is a small festival, but in the next three years, it will be second best, or the best festival in the country," he said.
Action continues at the Amakhosi Cultural Centre with theatre shows from various theatre artists from across the country. The festival will end on Saturday.
The four-day theatre festival, running under the theme "Merging Cultures" returned with a bang after having been suspended in 1999 due to economic hardships. The re-launch coincides with Amakhosi Cultural Centre's 19th anniversary celebrations.
Delegates who included Deputy Minister of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Supa Mandiwanzira, university lecturer Lawton Hikwa, and artistes Raisedon Baya, Sarah Mpofu and others enjoyed the theme song Mas'thokozeni which was performed by Ramzy Kasawaya and (Gogo) Thembi Ngwabi.
The main stage was colourful with wall paintings depicting an African village with a woman dancing in the foreground with two men in the background doing the same. The paintings were done by students from Chinhoyi University who also came up with the festival's new logo.
The appreciative crowd sang along to the catchy tune and chorus. The main highlight of the night was the play Song of A Woman, which was written by various women in Nhimbe Trust's Women in Theatre (WiT) programme. The two-hour play was directed by Thembi Moyo, produced by Nonhlalo Dube and acted by a six-member cast.
Earlier in the day, Deputy Minister Mandiwanzira planted a tree in the cultural centre's orchard, becoming the third minister to do so, following Francis Nhema and Obert Mpofu.
Director of the festival Cont Mhlanga said the festival would be bigger and better in three years' time.
"This is a small festival, but in the next three years, it will be second best, or the best festival in the country," he said.
Action continues at the Amakhosi Cultural Centre with theatre shows from various theatre artists from across the country. The festival will end on Saturday.
Source - chronicle
