THE inaugural Almasi Festival of the Arts — Africa Voices Now! —held from October 18 to November 7 at the Little Jasen Mpepo Theatre in Harare — marked a milestone in Zimbabwe’s performing arts landscape.
The festival concluded on a high note with The Return, a play written by Rudo Mutangadura, directed by Chelsy G Maumbe, and performed by Sandra Chidawanyika-Goliath and Caroline Mashingaidze Zimbizi.
The emotionally-charged production captivated audiences with its exploration of diaspora tensions, the challenges of caring for the elderly and the emotional complexities of love and distance.
Napoleon Nyanhi, National Arts Council of Zimbabwe (NACZ) chief executive officer, told NewsDay Life & Style that Almasi has led by example in launching a festival that he believes will grow to be one of Africa’s most distinguished artistic showcases. He emphasised that the event’s strong debut sets a promising foundation for future editions.
“The Almasi festival has demonstrated that Zimbabwean theatre can match international standards in both creativity and execution. What we witnessed here is not just a performance series, but the birth of a cultural brand capable of carrying the Zimbabwean narrative to the world stage,” he said.
Nyanhi was optimistic that the festival would attract global recognition and partnerships, fostering cultural diplomacy and strengthening the arts economy. He encouraged continued collaboration between NACZ and creative institutions like Almasi to ensure sustained growth and professional development within the sector.
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The play’s powerful performances and relatable themes left the full house deeply moved and reflective.
Almasi’s deputy director, Zaza Muchemwa, said the festival represented a strategic transformation after 13 years of dedication to private intensive training in the arts industry.
“This event serves as the organisation’s 'public coming out party’ to showcase the developed, world-class African talent. The experience was awesome as it brought plays like The Return, Can We Talk? and These Humans Are Sick to the global limelight. All the plays were performed to full houses,” Muchemwa said.
She said the core mission was: "Bringing the African Narrative to the Global Stage". And generating significant public awareness about the talent on the Zimbabwean arts scene, highlighting the work Almasi is doing to elevate the arts sector and give practical examples of how art is a viable career path for creatives.
As the curtains came down, the festival left an indelible impression, one of promise, purpose, and professional excellence.
With adequate sponsorship given the passion of the creative community, the festival is poised to evolve to an internationally-acclaimed celebration of African artistry, creativity and cultural identity.