THE fourth edition of the two-day International Literature Festival (LitFest), which will be headlined by American professor James Arnett and Irish poet James Woods, opens in Harare today amid high expectations.
BY WINSTONE ANTONIO
The fiesta will be held at Theatre in the Park, Harare Gardens, under the theme, Give and Take.
Festival director Chirikure Chirikure told NewsDay yesterday that Arnett and Woods will also participate in the discussion sessions with local poet, Togara Muzanenhamo.
Arnett, an academic researcher, will make a presentation on African Science Fiction, and contribute in other sessions.
“The wide range of activities at the festival that include panel discussions, paper presentations, writer-to-writer dialogues, readings, theatre performances, poetry recitations, quizzes and music shows is meant to showcase and celebrate literature in all its forms, with a good balance between intellectual stimulation and fun,” Chirikure said.
He said another session will feature Willet Hunyani making an analysis of literature and its portrayal of the socialist ethos, while Richard Makomva and Arnett will participate in a session to discuss African identities.
“Amakhosi Cultural Centre of Bulawayo will present a theatre production entitled Elections eZambezi Valley Kingdom. There will also be a special focus discussion on women in theatre, with the panel made up of Daves Guzha, Zaza Muchemwa and Leornard Matsa, who are all gurus in theatre arts,” he said.
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There will also be a theatre reading on climate change featuring Zaza Muchemwa, Robson Isaac Shoes, Kudzi Thondhlana and Laura Ganda
Chirikure said while funding has been a major challenge, their partners have helped them to put together a balanced programme.
“We make all the morning and afternoon sessions accessible to audiences for free because we believe literature is a valuable aspect of life and thus should be accessible to as many as possible,” he said.
Chirikure said they were providing students, teachers, academics an opportunity to meet artists and critics and engage them in discussions.
There will be several poetry performances and readings at the festival, which will conclude with a quiz competition and a music concert featuring Steve Makoni, Chikwata 263 and Okay Machisa and the Machena Music band.
