THREE things wholly delighted me last weekend when Chingola Arts Society (CAS) performed their second play this year; the plot, quality of performance and audience turnout – substantially outstanding.
On a personal level, more often I joy new plays on stage especially those handled by serious theatre artists; primarily, this could be one reason CAS’ play My Family amazingly turned out to be a huge success.
Written by Peter Ng’ambi, a good friend of mine who has since left Chingola to settle in Lusaka – Peter can now enter the echelons of upcoming established Zambian playwrights. My Family was directed by Bwalya Chikwanda, a comparative veteran theatre artist, renowned for restraint, authority, and maestro acting standards.
Co-produced by Sam Mpemba and Wilfred Longwe – the two similarly CAS’ stronghold names whose times past dates back to active theatre.
So, glowingly combined; Peter Ng’ambi, Sam Mpemba and Wilfred Longwe seizing a simply-themed- script like My Family, and a cast that has shown illustrious potential such as Stephen Zimba, Ketty Lungu, Memory Kasweshi, Elias Chabushiku, Alick Chileshe and new comer Maluba Kambilo; one could not have expected a slapdash or hurried performance. It was such a superior performance as one would expect of Bwalya Chikwanda as the director.
Seeing the end, I loudly thought; in a while, CAS had surely come up with a thought-provoking, moderately impressive play, which as I sat through was equally supported by a large audience.
Summarily, Ng’ambi’s play is seemingly a practical story about a man who does not sexually satisfy his wife; as a result the wife seeks this fulfillment from other men, and when her husband discovers this, he wretchedly commits suicide!
In another turn, Davy (Stephen Zimba) is a police officer selected for a peace keeping mission in Kosovo. His wife (Memory Kasweshi) deems this as a golden chance to pick up a younger man James (Alick Chileshe) to address her husband’s absence. Nonetheless, she knows less how to go about it, until her friend Mwansa (Ketty Lungu) provides the nasty tidbits.
And now the two women must invade the police camp like bloodsuckers.  This infuriates Mwansa’s auntie Janet (Maluba Kambilo), a divorced woman whose split-up circumstances have left her in an accessioned position to be of sound wisdom, and a good adviser!
Further the discovery of infidelity by Mwansa’s husband, Bruno (Elias Chabushiku) decidedly complicates matters! But it is Davy’s returns from the peace keeping mission that heightens this drama. He finds his welcome awful, and anger ensues.
In summation, My Family unveils the multifaceted and thorny complexes of one of the pillars of marriage, sex!
The audience was thrilled nearly throughout the performance; the scene featuring Memory Kasweshi and Ketty Lungu were nevertheless explicit; I thought this scene needed parental guidance as the audience comprised members of younger ages! Who says a good play though the audience excitedly cheered, is seen from skimpy and expository dress of women?
In spite of the violent affray, and thrush about when Bruno discovers his wife’s loose friend, so was it when Davy returns from his peace keeping mission! While in reality violence is worse, in drama, it should be well controlled with well rehearsed movements to avoid injury.
I found Stephen Zimba’s acting irresistible, and when he quizzically says, “When I come back, I will be the arresting officer, the prosecutor, judge and jailer – offence, infidelity,” it only confirms his ability and lively  talent.
Stephen is a notable, stirring and imposing actor who has lived up to his expectation, but for Memory Kashweshi as his wife needed resemblance and realistic reactions – she should stop being hysterical, and screaming, otherwise, she is a marvel and darling to watch.
Nonetheless, Stephen could have sadly hurt his wife when he pressed his military boots on her side; and surely Memory’s short dress, in that brawl, could have been more revealing, and let off more murmurs in the already enthralled auditorium!
Ketty Lungu, an award winner maintained her maturity, though I feel she could have slowed down running through her lines.
I am still unsure if I have watched Maluba Kambilo before – she fitted in so well, and delivered her lines with precision and clarity. If I am to think of one who was well cast, Maluba was. To me, she is new on stage, but such characters must certainly have a history in theatre – her composure, projection, articulation and gestures as an elderly auntie were remarkable.
Oh yes, I loved Elias Chabushiku’s deliverance of lines, alongside Alick Chileshe’s – the duo’s performance was similarly, extraordinarily impressive.
My belief is; a play that has taken two months to rehearse should take two months too of public performances. A well done play should be seen by other theatre fans.
Oh yes, the audience too must learn to appreciate watching plays in silence! I have continued to find running comments as absurd and destructive particularly to the players on stage! A good audience will always wait to applaud and cheer; when the actors are not speaking, or right at the very end!
Why not take the play to other theatre houses, and in the process expose the cast to various audiences, and provide not only entertainment, but expose the education in the play?
Peter Ng’ambi, an administrative police officer in Lusaka must have meaningful experiences to share these feelings in this play – therefore, let other people watch it and learn from it.
Matilda Malamamfumu who was part of the audience in Chingola said she enjoyed the play even though very little was left to the imagination of the audience. She said plays that literary ran like story books were not needed now as they made the audience not to think, and moribund.
My Family was made of the stage crew managed by Davies Chama with Lillian Chibwe on the lights, and make up by Monica Namwiyi. Others were Ketty Lungu other than acting helped with costume, and Bwalya Chikwanda (Jr) on sounds.
I called to speak to Peter Ng’ambi, the author – he intimated that he was pleased with CAS’ performance even though he did not travel to watch the play saying efforts will be made soon to see the play staged in all established theatre houses, including Lusaka Playhouse.
John.kapesa818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975