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A scene from ‘Half Empty/ Half Full’

Talented actors deliver exciting play

Godwin Muzari : Arts Editor

Their dreams about working at a mine expose various issues about the environment at the workplace. Award winning actors Teddy Mangawa and Tafadzwa Hananda proved why they are rated among the cream of local theatre practitioners with an exceptional delivery of the play “Half Empty-Half Full” at Theatre in the Park last week.The duo staged the old play in an exciting way that earned them a standing ovation at the end of their delivery at one of last week’s shows.

“Half Empty-Half Full” is a story about two ambitious young men from the village who go on a journey to the city to look for work.

On their way, they discuss various issues about growing up in the village and their expectations in the city.

Although they finally part ways as Tafadzwa decides to go back to the village to look after his ailing sister, their journey exposes various social ills and aspirations.

Tafadzwa’s sister is HIV-positive and he blames truck drivers that pass through their area for picking up girls and deliberately infecting them with the virus.

However, Teddy believes Tafadzwa’s sister had been morally loose since her childhood. He narrates how she began having affairs with boys at school and grew into a wayward lady.

Tafadzwa also castigates Teddy, a chief’s son, for impregnating a school principal’s daughter when he did not have the capacity to look after her and their child.

Love pushes both men to embark on a journey to the city to try their luck. Tafadzwa wants to work and get medication for his sister while Teddy has a dream of taking care of his wife and child in the best possible way.

As they travel for many days, they discuss promiscuity that is rife back in the village because of one man’s deviant behaviour.

They talk about how the man beds other people’s wives and how the chief has fined him on several occasions because of his evil deeds.

Their dreams about working at a mine expose various issues about the environment at the workplace.

The scenes show an old man toiling in a mine despite failing health and ends up stealing with the aim of financially securing his pending retirement because he knows the mine owner will not give him enough despite the many years he has spent at work.

However, the old man’s workmate reports the incident to his bosses because there is a huge reward for anyone who alerts the management of bad practices at work.

The play also brings to fore generational differences when the duo blames fathers that fail to impart important information to their sons thereby exposing to tough situations in life.

Teddy and Tafadzwa delivered the play in great way and theatre lovers enjoyed the shows. This week Theatre in the Park presents Jasen Mphepo in another social play titled “A 100 Miles”.