Acclaimed playwright and director Fatima Dike has delivered a blunt wake up call to emerging artists: fame means nothing without the work behind it.
Speaking during a theatre masterclass at the Bulawayo Art Gallery, the award winning South African theatre veteran challenged young writers and actors to ditch the obsession with recognition and embrace discipline, research, and storytelling.
“I look for talent and passion. And a passion for writing,” Dike said.
“Not a passion for being known. Do the work first. Get known later. I don’t like people who want to be famous first. I like people who want to write first.”
Dike, who led mentorship sessions on creating believable characters and stage preparation, didn’t hold back on why many young creatives fail.
“They don’t listen to older writers. They think they know everything. They take shortcuts. They don’t respect the rules. And then the work suffers,” she said.
Her hands on approach is ruthless but practical.
“I don’t teach them theory. I work with them only if they have written something, even if it’s bad. If they just listen and don’t write, I won’t waste my time.
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“Don’t just read to understand, read to marry the character,” Dike told the class.
Theatre practitioner Ryan Nyoni said the workshop shifted his entire view of performance.
“The most important thing I learned today is to research. As an actor, you research.”
Fellow artist Mzo 7 added: “You never stop learning. When you stop learning, you stop growing.”
