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Brenda Phiri Entertainment Reporter
Savanna Trust’s play “Pub Stories” has been invited to participate in the prestigious Tsoho International Theatre and Dance festival in South Africa next week, a development that reflects a growth of the local theatre industry.
“Pub Stories” was one of the 2014 National Arts Merit Awards nominees for the Best Theatrical Production. In an interview with The Herald Entertainment, Savanna Trust director Daniel Maposa said the cast was excited by the Bloemfontein festival that takes place from March 24 to 29. He said it would be a great opportunity to showcase what Zimbabwe has in terms of talent and quality of productions. “It is an honour for us to receive this invitation because it shows that Zimbabwean performers are as competitive as other regional players in theatre.

“We should not underestimate ourselves. Developments like these show that our plays have an appeal to the regional market and that is positive” he said.

The “Pub Stories” cast comprises Nyaradzo Nhongonhema (NAMA ’s Outstanding Actress), NAMA Outstanding Actor Tafadzwa Hananda, Teddy Mangawa, Caroline Mashingaidze and Anthony Mazhetese. “Pub Stories” is a play adapted from one of Zimbabwe’s most controversial, prolific, award winning and internationally acclaimed writer, Dambudzo Marechera. At the core of the play’s story is Dambudzo’s quest for freedom in the highest sense. The story of a man willing to seek, to the point of self-destruction, his own notion of freedom beyond most spheres of life. Just like another of Savanna Trust’s other production “Half Empty Half Full”, the play has been received well within and beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.

While admitting the mammoth task of performing in the South African market that has a competitive theatre industry, Maposa said it would be a learning curve for the team. “This opportunity will be a confidence booster for us. It is a chance to break into the competitive South African theatre.”