I FOUND myself expressively absorbed as one of the two adjudicators during the United Church of Zambia (UCZ) Lusaka Presbytery Youth Drama Festival held at Tubalange UCZ church in Lusaka West last week. It was profoundly lots of worthy time I spent watching all those plays and recitals.
The presentations, virtually, all of them were primarily mature, full-grown; I sporadically pinched my skin to believe I was in reality watching youths from religious congregations, and not community drama clubs! Believe me, Zambia, indisputably, has untapped artistic talents in young people which requires drumbeating and exposition – for the world to see.
Fifteen congregations with approximately 15 participants each assembled, each to showcase a play or and a poetic recital – deliberately camped away from the twilight of the city of Lusaka.
Deserving a huge part on the back for an ingenious initiative, a job well done; the Lusaka Presbytery Bishop Rodwell Chomba should not be forgotten, the Youth Worker Sylvia Musonda and the multi-talented actor cum comedian Stanley Kafula should all be inscribed with honor.
Others, who chiefly, for the most part were at the centre of things included Taizya Namukanga and Stone Chibwe, the Presbytery youth secretary, and treasurer, respectively.
In camp were 267 youths involving organisers and participants, the entire group noticeably committed itself to good behaviour, and a spirited programme of performances. During intervals, they sang and prayed. Oh yes, at some point we joined in the worshipping.
With my two colleagues; Dinais Chipampe and Clive Mwape, we were bestowed the task to select five good play performances and five recitals – which should later be entered in another UCZ festival scheduled for the Copperbelt later this year.
For me, my mind was effortlessly compromised to thinking church groups were devoid of theatrical tenets. I was wrong! Surprisingly, the standards of performance from script writing through to directing to acting – the dexterity and inert skills were astonishingly brilliant!
For this, the Church does not just deserve commendation and support, but eulogising over with back-up and inspiration so that other churches can take a leaf! This was a worthy activity, and further local authorities like municipal councils should not be afraid to pick up ideas and further the activities of these youths.
Where were the local Councilors, city fathers and Members of Parliament who could have learnt something from this assembly?
All the youth, bouncy, energetic and full of life I watched merit admiration too, and that such energies should be exerted in worthwhile activities like drama and poetry. I loved, prized and esteemed the shows. I support you.
The UCZ church I am told, has issued instructions from the top to hearten the formation of drama clubs at congregational levels, and not only keep the young creative minds on the go, but away from monkey business and disobedience! I emphatically agree with theChurch.
All the plays and recitals were scripted by young people, whose works gave an insight of how they viewed society, essentially exposing life in their homes, and their community – amazing and cheerless experiences. However, this does not mean, there were no organisational weaknesses; they all required intensive workshops, and guidance and everything would have been near to perfectness, and sure theatrical performances.
Unfortunately, mind-bogglingly Clive Mwape, for unexplained reasons, pulled out from the panel of judges midway! I still do not clearly understand what devil went into his mind, but this infuriated me because Clive is that stimulation actor whose role in the television series Loose Ends edged many to be his followers! So Dinais and I agreed to do away with his notes, and went ahead.

I was meeting Dinais Chipampe for the first time; a charming, pleasant, charismatic and fascinating middle-aged man with a delightful approach – this man has a heavy shoulder as that is where the MUVI Television’s popular drama series Pa Mudadada rests.

We soon became friends as we seemingly shared some universal and common interests, and alongside, as a result we had no rift in the way we individually, critically watched the performances; we solely adjudicated independently, and at the end we spent little time in compiling results, and easily agreed to mutually disagree.

I found this strikingly painless unlike many other times before when I have ‘umpired’ and have had to argue with my colleagues on the panel over the marginal scoring!

Top on the list in poetry was The Transformation Bus performed by the Rock congregation drama group with Chamunorwa Masuka as the overall best director. For best costume came The Voice of the Voiceless drama group with the recital of Martin Sichilima’s The Strength of the Reasoned Thinking directed by Taizya Namukanga while Monica Chipungu from St Margaret congregation in Our Pride by Paul Sinkala was the best female at recital, her male counterpart Pitcher Ngoma of the Grace of God drama group in The Jubilee Apple took the day.
In drama, with the best director Ignatius Kone’s The Hidden Truth took first position trailed by Fooled, Chamunorwa Masuka’s My Daughter, All Systems out of Order by Brian Kambenja and Smart Sikalunzo’s The Hidden Curse coming in that order.
For the best décor Matero congregation drama group’s Wages of Sin by Stoney Kabwe scooped the prize as Norivah Mutale overwhelmingly won the best leading actress award as Hirad Musenge took the best male leading actor. In the best supporting roles; Iness Ngabo and Emmanuel Mwape for the female and male, respectively walked away smiling. The cameo award went to Patience Mwamba, whose brisk, but resolute short act remained on the minds of the audience.
Watching Norivah Mutale in Martin Sichilima’s play The Cry of Misozi was explicitly moving as she portrayed a blind forsaken girl – unknowingly isolated by her ‘father’ with the story twisting to the man as her real daughter. The play was so stirring, but again everyone in the play who attempted to depict their characters deserves acclaimation.
Notably, The Cry of Misozi did not earn an award as a play, but the characters like Norivah uplifted its theme to higher levels.
Remarkably, the festival pictured plentiful avenues and exposed not only talents and skills, but meaningful themes our television stations can take advantage and classify for content.
Without singling out any special theme, they all enlightened the contemporary life in Zambia on gender based violence, morality, family feuds, under-age marriages; superiority and inferiority complexes; extremism and submissiveness, and certainly these are excellent television materials. What are our television stations waiting for?
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In Mkushi there is a good story brewing; Chengelo International School has recounted Zambia’s history to mark the Golden Jubilee through an exciting musical thriller in Tiyende Pamodzi the Musical co-written by Elton Nyirenda and Frank Kangwa – public performances are set for 1 and 3 October at the school.
According to Nyirenda, Tiyende Pamodzi the Musical chronicles Zambia’s history in an interesting way.
“The play tells the history of Zambia in vibrant music and dance and expected part of the audience will be Chengelo students, parents and some of the government officials invited,” Elton said.
I am thirsty and looking forward to this musical, keep me in the loop Elton.
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Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society (NAKS) gets back onstage on 26 and 27 September for a repeat of Leonard Koloko’s What Tomorrow May Bring featuring the talented Frank Yombwe, Lulu Nsalange and the dread-locked Bwalya Kazungo. Others part of the cast is Masiliso Masiliso and Christabel Ngosa.
Produced by Godwin Chibanda and co-directed by Aggrey Chibuye and veteran actress Lydia Mhango, What Tomorrow May Bring is that story in which Clifford Pantangu whose lifelong reputation for abusing women and the girl child is despicable.
On one of his sojourns he rapes a schoolgirl Sibeso and gets away with it. The girl loses her school place and efforts to make him accept responsibility are met with resistance.
Sixteen years later Clifford is married to Namatama, a women’s rights activist and their marriage is on the rocks with Clifford being pitifully jealousy of her travelling to meetings, conferences and seminars too frequently. On the other hand, the Pantangu’s have a teenage living-in housemaid, who Namatama rescued from being a street kid. They say old habits die hard and Clifford is at it again! Is this not the girl he fathered sixteen years ago?
This play looks at the pertinent issues of the violation of women’s rights intricately woven in a story of sadness and suspense – you cannot afford to miss it as it comes round at Kitwe Little Theatre on 26 and 27 September at 19.00 hours.
By the way, where is playwright, Barney Kanjela? Any new play from this veteran script writer?
John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975