So I'm now sitting in the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, where I shall languish for several hours before flying back to London.
And Crocodiles Are Hungry At Night was a great success ... good sized audiences who seemed to love it. Reviews are now coming in, and although I haven't seen the review in The Nation (I was in transit) today, I have heard it is good. I'm trying to search for it online without much luck ... but I'm sure someone will send it to me soon. I have however found a very positive piece in Nyasa Times which of course I will be quoting in my funding applications for the UK performances in July ...
http://www.nyasatimes.com/malawi/2012/03/05/mpinganjira-shed-tears-as-nanzikambe-staged-mapanje-memoirs/
The opening night was fabulous. Brown Mpinganjira came and cried throughout. Sitting next to Smith Likongwe in the audience he had to remove his glasses often to wipe his eyes. After the show he was invited on stage to say a few words, and was extremely gracious. I feel so pleased that we told his story with integrity - he said that he has been unable to write his memoir as he finds it too upsetting but wants to see the story told. So we have helped with that.
So my Malawi trip is over. It has been a wonderfully creative time and such a joy to be working with the Nanzikambe guys again. We now have a theatre space with a high domed roof and lights (not many, but it's a start) and Nkhwachi Mhango, who was working on the show preparing the performance space and helping with set, now has the bit properly between his teeth. We are working on him coming to the UK with the company and he has asked that I set him up with some theatre lighting and sound people so that he can learn how to run the space more professionally. He loved learning how to use QLab, and run basic sound effects and music through a laptop and has become a bit of a keen techie. So I have another air fare to find, and some capacity-building meetings to set up. I've no idea how difficult or easy this will be, but all I can do is make a start when I get back.
2 comments:
Kate,
It has been great working with you and we pray that such adventures should continue. I have not yet recovered from the impact the production has had and the continued surge of interest from Malawians.I do not know what will happen next. We are expecting two more articles over the weekend.
hey kate, i personally miss you, its in my blood, thanks for the qick but very lessons on QLAB, well guess there more to learn, in so little you made it, and by all means necessary more articles are on their way, you cant believe i got a call from a friend in China asking why we made Brown cry, i said thats the power of art, when well blended, you deserve all that
Nkhwachi Peter Mhango
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