It's all come about after we were approached by Jamie Hampton of the Chauncy Maples Trust. The Chauncy Maples is an old ship which is currently in dry dock in Malawi being converted into a floating clinic. The Chauncy Maples Trust has raised a staggering amount of money to convert it, and it will soon be travelling to otherwise inaccessible communities on the northern shores of Lake Malawi, bringing much needed healthcare.
The idea is that a travelling company of actors will travel on the ship, performing wherever it docks. The shows will be in local languages (chichewa, yao and tumbuka), have health themes and will help to publicise the clinic.
To kick the project off, we are sending two teachers from Complicite to Nanzikambe's Mwezi Wawala Festival at the end of August to run a 3 day theatre-making workshop for Malawian artists.
One of us will also be there to co-ordinate and participate in the workshop.
This is a fantastic example of how theatre can really make a difference in the world, and we are proud to have been part of it.
