Theatre fans in Harare can look forward to a treat when the best of the names in contemporary Zimbabwean theatre take to the stage in a production entitled "An Enemy of the People".
Henrik Ibsen's epic play is in this Rooftop production called "The People". The play runs at Theatre in the Park in Harare from 26 September to 8 October. Later the production will have a tour countrywide, in each province it will be shown several times.
The Royal Norwegian Embassy, Harare, has in the past been a major donor to the Rooftop Productions/Theatre in the Park. The goal of the project is to enhance the artistry, creativity, growth, and an improvement in the livelihoods of local artists. On the audience side, the goal is to provide information through entertainment by way of tackling current social, political, economic, as well as religious issues.
Daves Guzha, the play's producer says Rooftop made a deliberate decision to bring in the Bulawayo-based director Cont Mhlanga. The Theatre decided to let Mhlanga direct this play because the story needed someone with his experience. A tale of corruption, greed and the responsibility of the press, Ibsen's 1882 masterpiece is as up-to-date as this morning's headlines.
This is not the first Ibsen play to be presented to the Zimbabwe audience, the last play for local performance was A Doll’s House which was done by Chipawo a few years ago. This play is now adopted into the Zimbabwe Education Curriculum.