MUFULIRA, apparently, is back in the news theatre wise; one experienced in the eighties when Mufulira Little Theatre was a giant play basket with periodical One-Act festivals and productions.
Following the mining conglomerate, Mopani Copper Mines (MCM)’s facelift of the club’s auditorium, stage and backstage – generally the entire premises, club chairman David Kalunga does not want his team to relax by sitting back.
He intimated, he wants to see so much activity at the club, and is inviting the general public to make a date with the club; a date of either being a member in the audience, or and be part of the performers!
As though the challenge was outwardly heard; Mufulira plays host to the Copperbelt Schools Arts Association of Zambia (SAAZ) fesival from 17 to 21 April 2015 at Mufulira Secondary and Pamodzi Girls Secondary Schools. The festival outlined by the host Head Teachers’ Association SAAZ coordinator Douglas Chama, the festival is highly placed, and has attracted over 300 senior officials from the Ministry of Education, and over 1000 participants shared out in drama, poetry, choral music, dance and fine art.
Let me get back to what I believe is Mufulira’s dynamism in theatre particularly at the Little Theatre!
Metro Theatre and Chingola Arts Society (CAS) have the last two weeks answered David Kalunga’s challenge to turn the Mufulira Little Theatre into an active theatre house. A fortnight ago, the newly formed Metro theatre in Kitwe run by renowned comedian Bob Nkosha staged Leonard Koloko’s Love in Genocide Circles, and then last week CAS put up Evans Kalandanya’s Let Fools Die, sadly to a piteously low audience.
I want to follow up on why there should be low turn outs, even though believably the general public might be sceptical whether the club is back to life. Yes, the club is back to life.
The club, according to Kalunga has further gone an extra mile to conduct local theatrical workshops on various themes and topics. During the past week, questions on directing, producing, and roles of the cast, who a playwright is, auditioning, read through, rehearsals and schedules were answered.
Other matters related such as dress rehearsals, prompting, sound effects and the role of the stage crew were looked at. Kalunga pointed out during the workshop that theatre could easily be run as a business other than the casual approach most clubs tend to be. He said given the leverage, Mufulira Little Theatre can turn round for the better, adding that he was pleased the club managed with its own resource personnel. Indeed, this was inspirational, and glad that I was among the human resource alongside Kalunga, Lameck Chipulu, Godfrey Chitambala and Thomson Ngulube, who presently is the Mufulira Mayor.
Perhaps, if I could get back to my worry; low turnout of the audiences during public performances! Is it that the club is working low on publicity? Or is it that Mufulira residents are non-outgoing, and maybe theatre is not their game? I am aware that the answers are no; Mufulira is broad with a history residents enjoying their outings. So what is the matter? I feel Kalunga’s management team that includes David Katebe, Chila Chama, Sam Ngoma, Charles Sinyinza and Newton Kasanga need to work harder enticing and inviting the general public.
Look at CAS’ play Let Fools Die, the turnout was poor, and the few people that turned up appreciated the drama, saying they learnt and were entertained hugely from the play.
Produced by Clement Muyasani and directed by Elias Chabushiku, Let Fools Die is a simple tale that intertwines traditions, and contemporary lifestyle; modernity and education that spoils a youthful ‘couple’ which end up in tragedy, but lessons come through, through good actors Edgar Chikombe as shiKaswende and his wife Monica Namwiyi – in this primarily two hours of comedy, intrigue, seriousness, entertainment and tragedy!
Edgar and Monica were above average well combined with their dishonored son Spade played by Brave Chisala and his assumed wife Memory Kasweshi, a seasoned actress as Kasapo. Later the appearance of Evans Mulenga as uncle to Kasapo excites the drama as Mulenga is a veteran whose stage act rewinds back into the eighties.
Memory, on my mind has the skies for a limit. She is a talented girl with lots of energy only that this energy needs to be chopped a little bit for her to squarely fit into the square peg!
Putting it the author’s way, Evans Kalandanya after the visit wrote to this column, “We were pleased to visit Mufulira Little Theatre though the audience was poor on both days; Friday and Saturday.
“And many have written to thank Mopani for a job well done on the rehabilitation of the Theatre Club. As a theatre lover, allow me to add my voice through your column to Mopani for being an investor and not an infester.
“The question I have over what I saw is, if Mopani can do that, why can’t the other so called world companies do the same? Why can’t the so called big mining companies emulate Mopani? Mopani has not only done the stage, but an overhaul of the whole infrastructure. Just by the entrance, you are greeted with beautiful lawns and smiling security guards all paid by the company. The auditorium, the toilets, the stage, the remote controlled curtains, the music system, the lights, will leave you with your mouth opena smile with. It reminded me of some beautiful theatre clubs I performed in some neighboring countries years back. May other mining companies take leaf and help clubs which are struggling.”
Kalandanya went on, “If Mopani can promote and sponsor theatre activities in Mufulira, why can’t other companies do the same? If these idle companies do not know how to go about things and how to make a profit, worse still, if they do not have a heart for its people, let them go and learn from Mopani.
“I suggest such companies as Mopani get government concessions so that they can continue to empower our youths through the provision of life skills like acting. In Mopani I see a company that is not here to just reap from where they did not sow, but plant a seed from which they will reap.”
Thank you Kalandanya.
@@@
I missed out on the play staged at Lusaka Playhouse last week inspite of the invitation I got. Boyd Chibale, the NATAAZ chairman has united with various artists in Lusaka with Theresa Mwengu Shindende Sakala as the producer of Tafadwa Muzondo’s play Washington Junction.
Three years ago, I watch this play when Tafadwa, who is a friend of mine, visited Zambia during the April International Festival. This time round, Chibale has featured the Zambian cast made up of Anne Katamanda, Christine Ngoma and Jeromy Mumba.
Edward Lange, another good pal, fortunately watched the play and will send me a word about the performance next week.
John.kapesa818@yaho.co.uk– 0955-0967-0977-710975