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Umkhathi in festive season treat

Life & Style
THEATRE lovers in Bulawayo will next month be treated to a new thrilling production, Footprints, by Umkhathi Theatre Works, during this year’s festive season.

BY SHARON SIBINDI

THEATRE lovers in Bulawayo will next month be treated to a new thrilling production, Footprints, by Umkhathi Theatre Works, during this year’s festive season.

Footprints — a musical traditional dance show hinged on African performing arts including poetry, chants, storytelling and rituals — will be held at the Bulawayo Theatre on December 19.

“The story is told from an African perspective and it is engaging. The show tells a story of how Africans came together for events such as rain-making ceremonies and ends up being one big family through marriages. It also tells a story about other things that affected people’s lives during ancient times,” Umkhathi founder Matesu Dube told NewsDay Life & Style.

“We would like to tell the story of Africa in an African way using the three famous African art forms of music, dance and storytelling. We want to show audiences that Africa wasn’t all about war, but embracing each other regardless of tribe.”

Umkhathi Theatre Works last year premiered their latest African dance show, Bloom Bloom, which celebrated the arrival of the spring season.

Footprints is more engaging as they have incorporated a storyteller who will help the audience and move with the story.

“Footprints is different in that it includes storytelling unlike Bloom Bloom which used dance and music only. Footprints has a cast of 18 people,” he said.

Umkhathi Theatre Works in 2017 premiered their historical theatre piece, Ihloka, during Intwasa Festival koBulawayo.