Bambata Young People’s Community Actor’s Centre - 2nd Visit

On the last day of February I had my second visit to Bambata and helped Styx with the Saturday morning teaching programme. After starting with games, the guys continued work they were doing towards an upcoming event, which was based around the theme of women. So they were devising pieces that looked at issues facing women in Zimbabwe.

I liked their work and being a part of the creative process of it.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to be around a few days later when the group performed at the festival, but I hear it went very well and the pieces were great and raised the issues well.

I'm fairly sure that also marked the first time these guys had performed together and for some it was probably the first time they'd performed ever.

Styx said he was very pleased with the final outcome. This is him in director mode...

Issues-based theatre is definitely something I want to do more of here, so I like being a part of the devising process and am out to learn all I can about what works well and how to set about initiating the process and fostering a constructive atmosphere.

We were again holding rehearsals in a disused Catholic church outside the community.

This was the only chair in the whole place

I grew quite fond of that chair over the course of the session... I find it strangely symbolic somehow!