The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Leisure Correspondent
AFTER bagging an award for best theatre actor at the 2018 National Arts Merits Awards (Namas)last weekend, Leonard Phiri’s next focus is on getting more television acting roles.
Phiri also known as Mporodo or Maria has been traversing the stage for the past 23 years and winning this year’s Nama gave him the time to reflect on his career.
Mporodo won for his role in Umkhathi Theatre’s historical play, Ihloka where he had dual roles of an inyanga and Governor.
Mporodo said the award was long time coming and he was confident that this year was his to dazzle when he was announced among the nominees.
“When I was on stage during Ihloka, there was this exuberance I felt and even the response that I got from the other actors and also the crowd was an indication I was doing the right thing, it gave me confidence. I also fell in love with the characters because of the way the play was written and the language used in the play.
“Being named among the nominees gave me self-assurance that I will land the award,” he said, adding it is his first major award in his acting career.
Mporodo has built himself as a character who brings in “funny” into his acting, ensuring he leaves the audience in stitches.
“That is a technique that I have built over the years and it has worked wonders. I enter the stage with comic actions and that usually warms up the audience and brings them to my side.
“It’s something that I have used to win over audiences and catch their attention. This will make them follow whatever I do next on stage,” he said.
The 40-year-old actor said he would now be focusing on more TV roles and hopes the Government’s digitalisation programme will see a boom in the film industry although he won’t dump theatre.
Mporodo’s first taste of the arts was at Mtshede Primary School in Njube suburb, where he did his primary education before proceeding to Njube High School where he cemented his role in the arts joining the school’s culture club.
Growing up in Njube, it was hard for Maria to ignore the arts as he stayed a stone’s throw away from Salukazi Art Centre housed arts groups such as the now defunct Young Warriors, Sadalala and later Umkhathi Theatre.
At secondary school, he was identified by Iluba Elimnyama, who took him under their wings with Patrick Mabhena moulding his acting craft before he moved to Amakhosi.
Phiri cemented his acting skills at Umkhathi but as the outfit concentrated more on traditional dance; he joined Bambelela Arts, as his strength lies in acting.
He has featured in plays such as “Somkhence”, the first black opera produced by Amakhosi in 1995, which told the story of the disappearance of King Lobengula in music with no dialogue.
Mporodo also featured in remake of “Nansi Lendoda”, “Overthrown” both by Amakhosi, “Soil of the Son” and “Warrior” by Umkhathi, “Naked Truth”, “Look, Listen and Decide” and “Civil Servant” (Bambelela) while in film he has featured in “Umtshana Wami” and “Ezabo Mkhakha” (2016).
“Naked Truth” by Bambelela gave prominence to Phiri’s acting skills with the stage play receiving three NAMA nominations in 2005.
Phiri said while he has received the award the craft has not been financially rewarding but they have held on for the passion of the arts adding he is always hopeful the situation will change for the better in the near future.
“It has been a struggle all these years but we have held on. Pay has been low and in some instances I have struggled to get my dues.
“I recently featured in Ezabo Mkhakha, a ZBC series but the State broadcaster is yet to pay us for the work that I did and it is really frustrating. The payment has been coming in drips and drabs and we are required to collect it in Harare.
“I’m hoping things at the State broadcaster change, but I am hopeful things will change for better soon,” he said.
Mporodo said theatre has positively evolved over the years with the sector becoming more professional.
He recalled when they started they would travel in public transport carrying equipment such as African drums going to perform but now that is a thing of the past.
Mporodo feels theatre should retrace its roots back to the western areas where it had a huge audience as ensembles traversed community halls.
“Maybe it’s the time but I feel we should go back to the halls in the western suburbs, maybe the audience has changed and it’s not there but I think we can rekindle that interest in the high density suburbs,” he said.
