Mocking Mugabes, play smashes taboo
Theatre production chronicles the final days of former Zimbabwean leader’s rule
The president is in charge and that means me too,” says Zimbabwe’s “former first lady Grace Mugabe” to howls of laughter from the theatre audience.
“Everyone must rally behind me, the mother of the nation. I am the wife of the president.”
“Grace” was on the stage of Harare’s Theatre in the Park, brought to life by actress Carol Magenga in a recent three-day run of a production called Operation Restore Regasi.
The play, which chronicles the final days of former president Robert Mugabe’s rule, marked a watershed in Zimbabwe, where satirical productions that mocked Mugabe used to be ruthlessly suppressed.
It has been a resounding ■ hit with audiences starved for decades of incisive and topical humour — and so far, there has been no official backlash.
Trevor Chisvo, a 26-year-old teacher, called the dialogue, a mix of English and Shona, “hilarious”.
“It is funny that we’re enjoying events in our country that could have turned violent,” he said. “The guys did very well.”
Sold out
The play was sold out and extended its run for three further performances.
The production and its reception are a far cry from the recent past when artistes were intimidated by security forces if their work was deemed to insult Mugabe or his government.
In the early 1990s, playwright Denford Magora was forced into hiding after state security agents went to his home to confront him about his work, “Dr Government”.
The script portrayed the government as an incompetent doctor asked to make way for a better-trained nurse in the effort to resuscitate a critically-ill patient called Zimbabwe.
Another production which portrayed Mugabe surrounded by sycophantic “yes men” was banned.
But the tide turned against Mugabe dramatically in November last year when the army intervened, and he finally resigned when his own ZanuPF party began impeachment proceedings against him.