THANK you to my two virtuous friends Edward Lange and Richard Likumba for whispering into my ears that Venus Theatre in Kabwe was slowly broiling to life. A fortnight ago, the two theatre aficionados passed through the Broken Hill Man’s town, and drove down to Venus, where they discovered theatrical life awakening.
Edward and Richard unexpectedly noticed that the restrooms (toilets) had been recreated; the leisure garden and a couple of other places face-lifted with only the auditorium and stage remaining, calling for assistance from well-wishers. So again, like many times before, on behalf of Venus Theatre, I appeal to the various local and international corporate bodies to come to the aid of the club.
With giant corporate firms like Dangote Cement, openly being a cement manufacturer, Venus would completely be back to life with a little push with a few pockets of cement. There is need for ZESCO to come on board as should all the banking institutions within Kabwe. Everyone should come on board and stretch their hand.
Akin to the good works that one corporate firm, Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) has done at Mufulira Little Theatre, the restoration and redecoration will for many years to come impact on the minds of theatre lovers; as for the younger people, theatre is a great recourse for entertainment and leisure, sensitisation and education, and this structure will be remembered.
If my memory serves me right, historically, Venus Theatre was once a play basket which sunk into oblivion following the dilapidation of the infrastructure after the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM) was auctioned. Debate at Venus heightened like in other theatre houses especially on the Copperbelt, after ZCCM, what next will become of these theatre houses? The tale is a renowned sad one; particularly where ZCCM had a hand like at Kamenza Theatre in Chililabombwe, Mufulira and Kabwe – they all fell out of favour.
Today; MCM’s spotless example in renewing Mufulira Little Theatre is unmatched needing emulation by the other corporate world, and this can easily be done as the case has started at Venus theatre in Kabwe. So all those behind the reawakening of Venus should be recognised and thanked.
Surprisingly, Venus Theatre suffered funny setbacks before, and this is why the National Arts Council (NAC) must stand for some of these arts associations. At one unfortunate twist Venus Theatre became a juvenile court, later the premises became the local authorities’ property against many artistes who thought Government was calculatingly flippant and unserious in dealing with the promotion of theatre and other arts!
Today; it has taken Kabwe-based artistes with the help of others outside to reclaim the theatre house, and welcome enough, Government, through the Ministry of Tourism and Arts and the Public Works Department, has commenced well-meaning rehabilitations.
I do not want to overstress other hardships which today have culminated into a seemingly bright future for the club; but also that individual efforts of the bigwigs in Central Province; the Provincial Cultural Affairs Officer Adah Ngoma, the District Cultural Affairs Officer for Kabwe Miriam Chileshe Mwila should be acknowledged.
In this revival, I cannot forget to mention the Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale who has been a strong advocate of developmental programmes in Central Province, and the revival of Venus Theatre has never escaped her mouth.
Well-done Edwidge, Adah and Miriam; we will need you to finish with the Cultural Village which has stalled for too long.
In a lengthy discussion, Adah Ngoma thanked the artistes for their cooperation, which a fortnight ago culminated into a showpiece of artistes’ activities; recitals and drama, songs and dances.
The PF Government should be extolled for spending money on theatre infrastructure; though firstly the establishment of the Ministry of Tourism and Arts has been exalted.
Meanwhile, I saw and heard the Minister of Tourism and Arts Jean Kapata speak on ZNBC during the Sunday Interview anchored by Grevazio Zulu. The minister was surely articulate and greatly impressive as she appeared to understand the subject matter, a rare genre in most ministers.
Ms Kapata highly spoke of the tourism and wildlife aspects, even though very little on the theatre arts, she confirmed that her ministry was eager to promote theatre arts festivals. I marked her words, and want to believe that while the minister loudly supports the arts, it’s the ladder to get to the minister which is a bottleneck.
Kapata said NAC was established to channel matters relating to the theatre arts; hopefully the forthcoming national theatre festival in Livingstone 21 – 24 October will be buoyed.
Perhaps, my only worry was that the minister did not furnish us with where we are with the establishment of the Arts Commission.
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The huge number of theatre fans that swarmed Government Complex in Lusaka to watch visiting Ugandan comedienne Anne Kasiime shows Zambia’s theatre entertainment is growing. Would anyone have imagined such a crowd watching sketches, or and a play, and particularly comedy at K200 ? It is astonishing, but true when Kasiime whom we often watch on video as such a naughty, witty girl is after all only a talented actress.
I have no issues with Kasiime visiting Zambia or Kasiime as an actress or comedienne to worry me, but understandably the pricing though it is not my business to pop my nose into, was way out too high! NAC, in my view should regulate the charges as this not only connotes over pricing, even though promoters have to swallow the costs – future and local events are highly compromised.
We must appreciate that organised theatre predominantly comedy started as a pursuit, amusement or leisure activity nobody was ready to pay for! This feeling was more like comedy was not meant to benefit the entertainer; the concept was, why pay to watch someone cracking jokes with spectators laughing! This was initialed as meaningless, useless, and that singing and music were better.
I am a proponent of good support for theatre, but not beyond the reach of the average Zambian; similarly, I have eavesdropped that Kitwe Little Theatre has pegged individual membership at K400 annually! With such high pricing, how do you attract unemployed young people and others into the world of theatre?
In my opinion, as long as these are public theatre utilities, and not individual business outlets, NAC should act as an advisory board.
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The NATAAZ national theatre festival set for Livingstone this October has attracted Stephen Chifunyise from Zimbabwe who wrote to me following my write-up a fortnight ago. Chifunyise asked me if I could link up NATAAZ officials with him so that his latest minimalist play of two characters The Past is for the Future, a winter warmer special featuring veteran actress Eunice Tava and Lisa Gutu can take part in the festival. I was pleased to do this simple task with a smile.
And NATAAZ chairperson Boy Chibale has acknowledged this information, and excitedly intimated that the Zimbabwean group was welcome. Boyd said initially, his committee discussed inviting a foreign group but with resources lacking, the idea was shelved, but that Chifunyise felt his play can expose its skills, this was a good idea as some costs would be passed on to the visiting theatre group.
Boyd, keep me in the loop on the Zimbabwean play, and let me know what levels you will get to, but let NAC know too.
As you read this column, I will have been two days in Mansa until 12 August having been appointed to help with the adjudication at the on-going 5-day National Schools Arts Association of Zambia – SAAZ at Mansa College of Education.
John.kapes818@yahoo.co.uk – 0955-0967-0977-710975