TO successfully forge ahead this year, there is this urgency to look back, and I want to do so summarily as I take a snappy glare, making my last series at looking back to 2015.
Primarily, these are my personal opinions; 2015 did not excitingly bring out much more than a handful of theatrical activities; small wonder is theatre development in Zambia?
To sum up; on a general note, the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts in 2013 came with exultations and praises; we all still extol the Patriotic Front government, singly the late President Michael Chilufya Sata for his role in recognizing the creative industry.
Later the paper to further expand and perk up the arts; the departments of Culture inclusive the National Arts Council (NAC) and other heritage associated institutions were to unfold into an Arts and Heritage Commission – somewhere, somehow, progress has outwardly stalled.
The Commission, which is verily welcome, is an assemblage of thoughts and dreams drawn from artists and enthusiasts, essentially was to uplift the arts industry into a creative business file supported by the corporate world. This project should be heightened by Parliament through enactment; otherwise, we are still waiting.
In my view, the brave background we have come to recognize President Edgar Lungu; he would be pleased to openly sign for the Arts Commission’s existence – Parliament has stalled over the Bill, and the artists are waiting.
In 2015, NAC endeavoured to bring artists together during the business-like workshops held in Lusaka and Kitwe; two South Africans, Kim Sansoucie and Ukhona Mlandu were on hand to facilitate.
The three-day nationwide evaluation workshop at Mika Lodge in Chongwe was good. For the efforts NAC was praised for the initiative, but still most artists are still uncertain as prior, documents have been generated in this manner, sadly, without solid implementation.  Was this another such exercise?
Earlier during the year in 2015 I pointed out that two ingredients of theatrical parties were held; the UCZ Lusaka Presbytery drama festival and the National Schools Arts Association of Zambia (NASAAZ) festival held at Mansa College of Education.
For the UCZ festival, the young-looking Taizya Namukanga and my peer Stanley Kafula among other organisers should be admired, much as David Asumani and his team worked hard enough to host the successful NASAAZ festival in Mansa.
The bouquet the Provincial minister of Luapula Province Brigadier-General Benson Kapaya hosted for the officials was loudly impressive .
I noticeably watched the thrill on the faces of the educationalists, and for once again David Asumani should take the 2016 kudos as making great strides in uplifting the standard of drama in schools.
In 2015, we unhappily saw the dismal performance of the mother body of theatre in Zambia (NATAAZ) with the clear absence in organising the senior theatre festival.
For the second year running too, the April International theatre festival equally robbed theatre fans of something we should be proudly working towards! 2015 miserably had no such festivals!
For the two senior theatre festivals, NATAAZ chairperson Boyd Kaimbi Chibale and Abdon Yezi director of the April festival, respectively, boldly explained that lack of funds was the chief reason for not hosting the events.
The usual backing from the ministry of Tourism and Arts was largely to blame, I feel, but again, the corporate world has evidently neglected to support theatre.
I beg to ask, is it not largely feasible that theatre is much more entertaining requiring support? Didn’t we know, the film industry grows from drama and theatre?
Tapezha Theatre came up with two plays Shackles of My Land by Chamunorwa Masuka and Mwaziona, the latter which Minister of Agriculture Given Lubinda animatedly watched at Lusaka Playhouse, and supported by donating K1000.00 towards its promotion. This was good, and should be emulated by other leaders.
I missed to link up with Hon. Lubinda that Friday night as I strongly wanted to see the minister prop up the play, and see how his honourable colleagues could have joined hands to support this insightful story of the play. Perhaps, I should ask Chamunorwa and his friends, what other plans are there for the play to go round the country? The recent finding of ward councillors taking underhand methods in representing their people is clearly shown in Shackles of My Land.
Seeing the recent visit to the Copperbelt of the Minister of Local Government and Housing, Stephen Kampyongo brings out issues for our councillors to learn even from themes in plays.
Chingola Arts Society (CAS) topped the list again with the Bwalya Chikwanda-led team staging four plays. Essentially, CAS cried aloud for scoring two plays below the usual, but this for whatever reason, a better record looking at the general picture across the country in 2015.
Kasama Arts Theatre (KAT) sauntered into South Africa to celebrate with Zambians living there the country’s 51st anniversary. KAT as a team is doing extremely well with invitations here and there; in 2014 KAT spent part of the 23 days in Spain (August) and later six days (October) in South Africa.
Mufulira Arts Council with Joemwa Mstinje Mwale’s The Family Crunch directed by Godfrey Chitambala – on a small scale, and the play never went viral. Nkana-Kitwe Arts Society after a deafening slumber woke up with Barney Kanjela’s Legacy directed by veteran theatre performer Pulani Munthali and produced by Bassier Lungu.
In Ndola Aswel Mwalimu’s play Books, Bread and Roses premiered the formation of a theatre group at Masala Cultural Village. This has been welcome such that Provincial Cultural Affairs Officer Prince Lamba should be excited to see the group progress.
In Kitwe again, Metro Theatre led by celebrated comedian Bob Nkosha woke up to collaborate with several institutions, among others, Mufulira Little Theatre when producing Love in Genocide Circles by Leonard Koloko.
In Kabwe, the once damned Venus woke up even tough World Theatre Day was intimately celebrated at the civic centre a stone’s throw away. Progress at Venus is slow though better than what is going on at Kamenza Theatre in Chililabombwe, another debatable issue NAC and the Ministry of Tourism and Arts should get concerned with!
Meanwhile, for those who might not remember, this year on 10 June, NATAAZ marks 30 years of existence following the merging of the Zambia National Theatre Arts Association (ZANTAA) and the Theatre Association of Zambia (TAZ) in 1986. Is NATAAZ thinking of celebrating this event? Perhaps, Boyd Chibale can guide the theatre fraternity.
Hmmm, welcome all to 2016 – What have we got for theatre? John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0967-0977-710975