News from Berlin

"The Immigrants" - Zimbabwean Theatre Production Comes to Germany

October 17th, 2014
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News from Berlin – A Zimbabwean play written by Bulawayo-based playwright, Thabani Hilary Moyo, entitled “The Immigrants” premiered in 2012 at the Intwasa Festival in Bulawayo, and went on to be showcased at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA). This play with an impressive local Zimbabwean cast portrayed the economic and political turmoil in the run-up to the 2008 Zimbabwean elections, when the economic challenges in the country forced many to leave for neighbouring countries.

The script was selected, after being voted in the top five best-liked scripts in the African Script Writing competition by a theatre company in Germany, to be translated into the Deutsche language and performed in Germany. The adaptation of this seductive, poignant, and thought provoking play into the German language displays the close ties between the two countries. The new cast is set to perform the play for at least a year in Germany, giving the play and director international exposure. The controversial subject matter to be played out by German actors illustrates the problems that were faced by the horde of Zimbabweans illegally living in South Africa.

The Zimbabwean play adopts the classical structure of a Shakespearean tragedy with the central character confused by moral law and the ambiguity of his sexual feelings. He is confronted by, as in classical tragedy, a situation he is totally unprepared for. The tale sees star-struck lovers, one Zimbabwean immigrant (Sifundo) and a South African young girl, battle to be together. This brilliantly written story sees two laws in conflict, the natural law permitting the two lovers’ union and the South African Immigration law that does not allow Sifundo to be in the country.

For Information on the Zimbabwean Film Festival: http://www.hifa.co.zw/ ; http://intwasa.org/

News from Berlin – Berlin Global