Zimpapers Logo

The Old Book Cafe along Samora Machel Avenue

Peter Tanyanyiwa Arts Correspondent
Despite facing hard times that have seen them going for months without a venue, Book Café proprietors have taken their art programmes on a mobile outreach that will result in a number of shows being staged at various venues across the capital. Book Cafe has made a strong comeback move as they have announced that they will be hosting series of pop-up events in Harare.

The first event will take place on the roof of the New Ambassador Hotel in Harare’s city centre on Saturday, November 7 and will feature musical performances from Mokoomba and Jam Signal as well as poetry and surprise guest performances.

“Book Cafe is still in search of a new permanent home, but in the meantime we thought we should do something to remind our supporters that we are still a major force on Harare’s arts and culture scene,” said Tomas Brickhill who is the driving force behind this initiative.

“The pop-up Book Cafe concept will see a number of gigs across various venues in Harare running into 2016 and organisers have promised to deliver the same high standard events that Book Cafe patrons have been used to over the years.

“When we had to leave the original iconic Fife Avenue at the end of 2011, the one positive thought we took from the experience was a realisation that Book Cafe had become something much stronger than a physical venue; it had become an idea, and you cannot destroy an idea. “Maybe this experience will teach us something new. At the very least, it affords us a license to experiment and re-imagine Book Cafe for the next generation,” said Brickhill in a statement.

The Book Cafe suffered a major setback after its founder Paul Brickhill passed on in October last year. His son, Tomas, took over the reins. The Book Cafe closed its doors at the new venue at 139 Samora Machel Avenue. The iconic treated audiences to nearly two decades of memorable live music, performance poetry, stand-up comedy, film screenings and arts discussions.

Book Cafe had a significant positive impact on the arts and on cultural entertainment in Zimbabwe. It was instrtumental in bringing traditional mbira music into the mainstream arena, championing freedom of expression in the arts and providing a platform for development of the arts in the country.