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The
theatre production How Long illustrates the dilemma of bisexuals
in Zimbabwe
Taurai Maduna, Kubatana.net
March
30, 2006
View audio file details
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| Khumbulani
Mathe (Chamu) and Leonard Phiri (Nkosi) from Bambelela Arts
Ensemble, speak about their love live in How Long |
 When
Thembi marries Chamunorwa, the love of her life, she is all smiles
and looks forward to living happily ever after, as people say when
taking their vows. Chamu feels the same, yet different. While Chamu
is in love with Thembi, he’s also in love with somebody else.
6 months into
their marriage, Thembi accuses Chamu of being useless in bed and
failing to fulfill his marital duties. Thembi decides to go with
Chamu to her friend Shami a marriage counsellor for advice and during
the counselling session Thembi accuses Chamu of seeing other women.
In frustration Chamu shouts, "Who says I’m in love with another
woman? I’m different. I swing both ways. I’m bisexual."
"I love
you and I love him," says Chamu, meaning he loves Thembi the
same way he loves Nkosi, a male family friend. In the play Chamu’s
lover Nkosi (Leonard Phiri) feels that he is getting a raw deal
from his lover. He feels that he deserves all the attention that
Chamu (Khumbulani Mathe) gives his "wife" Thembi (Sitshengisiwe
Mpala).
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| Raisedon
Baya directed the play, How Long |
How
Long a play about a bisexual man who is in two relationships
and is frantically trying to deal with both demanding relationships.
Written and directed by award winning Zimbabwean writer Raisedon
Baya and performed by the Bambelela Arts Ensemble, the play premiered
in Bulawayo on March 27, a day set aside by the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to celebrate World
Theatre Day. UNESCO’s theme for 2006 is "A Ray of Hope".
Last year Raisedon
Baya penned "Superstar Prophets" a play about a gay man
who is in love with a priest who happens to be attracted to somebody
else. Baya has also written political satires, which include Pregnant
with Emotion and the banned Super Patriots and Morons.
Director Raisedon
Baya says How Long tackles issues that Zimbabweans sweep
under the carpet. "But for how long are we going to hide it?"
he asks. listen
to audio file
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| Joshua
Nyampimbi producer of How Long |
Baya
says How Long talks about issues that society does not want
to discuss and that he feels it’s his duty as a writer to provoke
debate in society about difficult issues. The play raises questions
like "how long will people experience stigma and discrimination
because of having to play hide and seek with their sexual orientation."
Joshua Nyapimbi
from Nhimbe Trust
is the producer of How Long. He says their main objective
is to stimulate discussion on the issue of homosexuality, which
is not talked about openly in Zimbabwe. listen
to audio file
Some Zimbabweans
have said that homosexuality as ‘unafrican’ and President Robert
Mugabe has openly denounced homosexuals on numerous occasions. But
for how long is he going to continue his harangue? Gays
and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) argues that
homosexuality is "neither borrowed nor influenced
by foreign culture." Adding, "Their existence is as real
as the colour of our skin."
There’s no doubt
that How Long will get people talking about homosexuality.
But the question remains, for how long will Zimbabweans continue
to deny the existence of people like Chamu and Nkosi?
Playwright Víctor
Hugo Rascón-Banda says "The theatre moves, illuminates,
disquiets, disturbs, lifts the spirit, reveals, provokes and violates
conventions". This is exactly what the Zimbabwean play, How
Long does.
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