The Sunday News
Raisedon Baya
Finally Intwasa Arts Festival is here and one of the most exciting moments of the festival is the Live Literature Sessions by Centre for Talent Development (CTD). In 2015 alone about 3 000 O and A-level students from schools as far as Plumtree, Lupane and Filabusi thronged Bulawayo Theatre to watch live stage performances of various literature set books by this group of amazing actors and actresses. Most of the students who watched the various performances said the experience was fun, exciting and made school work more enjoyable — which is essentially what The Live Literature Project is all about. Making learning fun and enjoyable for the students.
The driving philosophy behind the project is that “plays were never meant to be just read and studied in the classroom but were meant to be performed live on stage”. Even the great Shakespeare did not see his work confined to the four walls of the classroom and subjected to endless scrutiny by both teachers and students. As a playwright he always saw actors and audiences interacting and enjoying the products of his creativity. The project seeks to use live theatre to simplify or give a better understanding of the literature texts being studied in schools and colleges. In the last years the project has added adaptations to its list of plays.
Since our education system is focused on passing national examinations The Live Literature Project tries to help students achieve this goal while at the same time experiencing the true magical moments of theatre. This theatre-in-education project is a learning platform for both the young actors that act out the plays and the students that come to watch them. It is a platform to learn away from the classroom — giving everyone the chance to learn and think beyond the classroom set-up.
What started as merely a project for Bulawayo schools now attracts schools from Matabeleland North and South. And the platform continues to grow. Centre For Talent Development is a youth oriented organisation whose focus is drama as the starting point of any learning. Group members are High School and University Students whose passion for drama started way back. Here are some of the members: Elton Sibanda, Nokwanda Sibanda, Charmaine Mudau, Musa Sibanda, Lesley Masuku, Sheron Buru, Cedric Msongelwa, Ronald Sgeca, Dalton Ngubeni, Belinda Dube, Agnes Ncube, Anita Moyo, Faith E. Moyo, Bathabile Dlamini, Sithabile Ndubiwa and Winston Tsotsonga, Bruce Mutero, Noami Gauti and Lonesome Kudzai.
The List of Plays for 2016
The Colour of Hope. This is an A-level set book written by Taban lo Liyong. It was written as a partial response to the disturbances that followed the Kenyan general elections of 2007. In this play culture is put to the microscope. This is an inspiring and unflattering literary commentary of post-colonial Africa at the dawn of the 21st Century.
Master Harold & The Boys (O-level set book) One of Athol Fugard’s masterpieces. The play takes place in South Africa during the apartheid era and depicts how institutionalised racism, bigotry or hate becomes absorbed by those who live under it.
The Sun Will Rise Again (O-level set book) The play is an adaptation of George Mujajati’s novel of the same name. The play looks at economic and moral decay as well as the frustrations and betrayals that came with independence.
Dancing in the Dust (A-level set book) Another adaption from the novel of the same name by Kagiso Lesego Molope. Set is in the 1980s during the time of school boycotts, stay aways, bloody police crackdowns and hippos in the streets. A gripping tale about the struggle for freedom seen through the eyes of a young girl.
Other highlights of the festival are the Bulawayo Bayethe Concert, Spring Jazz Show, Women, Wine and Words, Warrior and Untikolotshe. Watch the press for a full festival program.
