About The Speaker
Zaza Muchemwa
Participating Artists
Zaza Muchemwa (poet, short story writer, dramatic arts practitioner; Zimbabwe) authored the short story, dance with yesterday and the play, The IVth interrogation. Her poetry has been published on Pen International Website, Badilisha Poetry Xchange, in Zimbabwean Newspapers and included in the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights Anthology, ‘All Protocols Observed’ and Cyphers Poetry Anthology Volume 87. She has written for Index on Censorship Magazine, Povo Magazine, MUD Journal and other publications. Zaza is an award-winning theatre director and producer, […]
Zaza Muchemwa (poet, short story writer, dramatic arts practitioner; Zimbabwe) authored the short story, dance with yesterday and the play, The IVth interrogation. Her poetry has been published on Pen International Website, Badilisha Poetry Xchange, in Zimbabwean Newspapers and included in the Zimbabwe Poets for Human Rights Anthology, ‘All Protocols Observed’ and Cyphers Poetry Anthology Volume 87. She has written for Index on Censorship Magazine, Povo Magazine, MUD Journal and other publications. Zaza is an award-winning theatre director and producer, directing several productions including The Incident by Joakim Daun which won the 2018 NAMA Award for outstanding theatre production, and How are you really? By Chiedza Rwodzi, which won a NAMA award for outstanding theatrical production and Zaza a NAMA award for outstanding director for 2022.
Zaza is the Associate Artistic Director for Almasi Collaborative Arts, and the Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Centre of International Theatre Institute.
Zaza is a 2022 Honorary Fellow in Creative Writing with the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
VAVIRI CREATIVE
Presents
‘WE ARE US’- A Series of Plays
DIRECTED BY ZAZA MUCHEMWA
Written by: Rudo Mutangadura, Chiedza Rwodzi, Makomborero Theresa Muchemwa and Chimwemwe Chipidza
Dates: 22 to 26 November 2023
Venue: TBD, Kampala International Theatre Festival, Uganda
After doing successful individual online and in-person performances of plays we have decided to treat audiences to a sumptuous feast of plays written by incredible women and directed by an extraordinary woman who has been making waves on the Zimbabwean dramatic arts scene.
The plays will be presented to audiences as double bills. Where for the price of one ticket they get to experience eloquent, evocative writing and moving artistic expression in the form of two play performances.
Bill 1- Raw Fruit by Rudo Mutangadura and Zvinoita Imba by Chimwemwe Chipidza
Bill 2- How Are You Really by Chiedza Rwodzi and Delta Estate by Makomborero Theresa Muchemwa
ABOUT THE PLAYS
RAW FRUIT by Rudo Mutangadura
Running Time: 120 minutes
Accolades: The production received a resounding standing ovation at the HerStory International Theatre Festival 2022
Synopsis
Charity, the teenage daughter of the house help, falls in love the boss’s son. Compared to Charity and her mother, her boyfriend lives in relative luxury and privilege in the main house while she is often in need, more so during the COVID pandemic. As a result of the financial and emotional pressure multiple lockdowns, Charity finds that she is unexpectedly pregnant. In spite of being in her final year of high school, Charity harbours hopes of a romantic marriage and a comfortable happily ever after. Her boyfriend’s mother, a newly rich Harare business woman, is, however, violently opposed to the relationship and does everything within her power to end it. Torn between her love for her mother and her hopes of a better life, Charity must decide how much she is willing to sacrifice in order to claw her way out of the poverty of the domestic quarters. Set within the leafy suburbs of Harare, the play examines class divisions amongst black African people, the impact of the COVID pandemic on the academic productivity of women, child marriage, as well the complex relationships between African maids and their Madams.
HOW ARE YOU REALLY? By Chiedza Rwodzi
Running Time: approximately 70 minutes
Accolades: NAMA 2022 awards for outstanding theatre production and outstanding theatre director
Synopsis
One afternoon Shorai, an occupational therapist and her client, Sekai navigate thriving in their womanhood amidst a failing economy and a broken society. In an interrogation of their own attitudes and those of others on mental health, religion and spirituality they learn to find their own way to healing at all costs.
DELTA ESTATE by Makomborero Theresa Muchemwa
Running Time: approximately 35 minutes
Synopsis
A play on the fourth estate. The term Fourth Estate or fourth power refers to the press and news media both in explicit capacity of advocacy and implicit ability to frame political issues. Two women, Chiedza and Toendepi, both on the run for their lives for differing reasons, find sisterhood and comfort in the most unlikely of places.
ZVINOITA IMBA by Chimwemwe Chipidza
Running Time: 25 minutes
Synopsis
A solo performance written and performed by Chimwemwe Chipidza, Zvinoita Imba investigates what drives a woman to take drastic measures in order to get peace of mind. The play deals with issues which manifest at the intersection of generational trauma, motherhood, societal expectations and gender-based violence.