- Title: KENYA: YOUNG KENYANS REHEARSE FOR SARAFINA A NEW MUSICAL
- Date: 11th June 2003
- Summary: MV CLOTHES ON LINE IN 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA'S NEIGHBOURHOOD MV PEOPLE PEEP FROM A NEARBY SHOP MV 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA WALKING UP STAIRS VARIOUS OF 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA REHEARSING ON HIS FLATS ROOF TOP SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA SAYING: "I'd wanted to be, to do something in the hotel industry but then, well it wasn't quite possible because I'd lost both my parents by the time I was finishing secondary school. So I had to survive on my own and I had to do the thing which I knew best and that was acting." MV 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA DRESSES UP AT HOME SV 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA WALKS PAST A LOCAL SHOP MV 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA AND OTHER PEDESTRIANS STROLL ALONG A LANE SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA SAYING: "Sometimes I go for rehearsals maybe dance rehearsals then if I have nothing to do basically, I just hang around the theatre waiting that something good is going to crop up." LV PEOPLE AROUND THE THEATRE MV 'CROCODILE', ABUBAKAR MWENDA WALKS WITH A FRIEND MV SMALL GROUPS OF ACTORS CHATTING AT THE THEATRE ENTRANCE VARIOUS OF NEGLECTED THEATRE SWITCHES AND LIGHTS (4 SHOTS) SCU (SOUNDBITE)(English) PRODUCER, SARAFINA-KENYA PAUL OYIER SAYING: "We'd like to see this facility live up to its reputation of the past and even surpass it. So it's almost a vote of confidence in this place not in its current state but in what it can be, given the necessary attention."
- Embargoed: 26th June 2003 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
- City:
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA8HW18OHVUJZ66VN22CTLIHOPC
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: For ten weeks, a group of young Kenyans had to endure back-breaking rehearsals, to come up with a synchronised mix of drama, dance, and music - the South African way.
They staged 'Sarafina', a play challenging South Africa's apartheid government.
Released as movie in 1992, 'Sarafina' tells the story of the 1976 Soweto uprising in South Africa, seen through the eyes of the black school children who dared to challenge the apartheid government.
Mbongeni Ngema, the author and his wife Leleti Khumalo, the star of the movie, jetted into Nairobi for the show.
The cast had the pleasure of meeting the two on the night of the dress rehearsal.
It was a heady experience even for the dynamic duo who first put the show together Author Of Sarafina, Mbongeni Ngema says: "We thought it was a wonderful thing to come and see 'Sarafina' here. It is the first time we see it being done by other people and not us, so we are very excited."
On the Premier night, hundreds came to witness a new dawn for Kenyan theatre.
'Sarafina' has been staged only twice before in 1987 in Johannesburg and again on Broadway-New York.
Sixteen years later, this hit musical came alive again at Kenya's National Theatre.
21 year old, Mkamzee Chao Mwatela plays Sarafina one of the student leaders. Along with her is Abubakar Mwenda.
His character 'Crocodile' is a tough-talking boy who helps to incite the resistance against the government.
In the end hundreds of children are killed.
Abubakar lives in this working class area on the outskirts of the city.
Africa Journal caught up with him here, rehearsing on his rooftop.
Life has not been too kind to him. He's acted in numerous productions but has not made much money.
Actor, Abubakar Mwenda Reminisces, "I'd wanted to be, to do something in the hotel industry but then, well it wasn't quite possible because I'd lost both my parents by the time I was finishing secondary school. So I had to survive on my own and I had to do the thing which I knew best and that was acting."
The average pay for a professional actor in Kenya is about four U.S dollars per show. This is barely enough for him to makemeet.
Every day he leaves home looking to find work.
Actor Abubakar Mwenda explains, "Sometimes I go for rehearsals maybe dance rehearsals then if I have nothing to do basically, I just hang around the theatre waiting that something good is going to crop up."
Established during the colonial times, this is the theatre where Abubakar and many actors like him hangout hoping to be discovered.
But this once magnificent building now lies in disrepair.
Perhaps with the staging of Sarafina it can begin to reclaim it past glory.
Producer Sarafina-Kenya, Paul Oyier shares: "We'd like to see this facility live up to its reputation of the past and even surpass it. So it's almost a vote of confidence in this place not in its current state but in what it can be, given the necessary attention."
African culture is rich with stories like Sarafina but western plays have dominated the Kenyan stage.
Veteran actor, Tony Njuguna feels this has helped to alienate the Kenyan audience.
"Most of the scripts we have are foreign, foreign based, we get foreign comedies, we get even Shakespeare, we do Shakespeare and if we could get more local based scripts I think people will be coming and watching and giving a lot of support." Comments Actor Tony Njuguna For the cast of Sarafina, theirs was a memorable experience. With all their shows sold out, they can only hope the theatre arts revival Kenya has been yearning for has now began.
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