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"Rituals" highly charged up for HIFA 2011 performances
Rooftop Promotions
April 11, 2011

The "Rituals" team will be highly charged for two performances at this year's Harare International Festival of the Arts with two performances (26 April - 3.30pm & 27 April 9.15pm) at Standard Theatre after a 7 performances tour of Zambia which runs from 13 - 22 April 2011. For those who missed this show, which has been well received when it premiered at Theatre in the Park, was performed at the All Africa festival on peace in Nairobi and did a 100 performances all over Zimbabwe, this is a unique opportunity to see the persecuted actors after they have recuperated in Zambia so get your HIFA ticket as soon as the HIFA Box office opens to avoid disappointment.

"Rituals", from the Award winning duet of acclaimed Zimbabwean author Stephen Chifunyise and director-cum-producer, Daves Guzha, is a poignant musical and inspirational journey through community driven healing processes that are impeded by lack of political will. The play has been well received by the Zimbabwean populace but persecuted by the security agencies which tried to stop its performances by either attempting to ban it or arresting the performers on trumped up charges. Featuring Mandla Moyo, Zenzo Nyathi, Silvanos Mudzvova, Chipo Bizure, Joyce Mpofu and Rutendo Chigudu, "Rituals" is a production by Rooftop Promotions, a leading arts promotion and management organization whose products and services range from performing arts and music production and promotion to audio video production and distribution as well as events and projects coordination and management. The play has been well received by the Zimbabwean populace but PERSECUTED by some partisan security agencies which tried to stop its performances by either attempting to ban it or arresting the performers on trumped up charges. These trials and tribulations have strengthened our resolvce to stand for freedom of expression and defend our professional work of being mirrors of society.

"Among our celebrated achievements, Rooftop Promotions run Theatre in the Park, a venue that has provided a platform for no holds barred theatre performances and discussions on topical Zimbabwean issues, even during the time the free expression space was shrinking, with plays covering a range of social, political, economical and other developmental issues", says Rooftop promotions marketing & Sales Executive Tafadzwa Muzondo.

"Rooftop promotions has produced internationally acclaimed shows that have toured all over the world and have done outreach programs with plays on peaceful elections, constitution making process, healing and reconciliation among others as well as managed prestigious events such as Victoria Falls International Jazz Festival in Zimbabwe, SADC Artists against Aids Festivals in the region, Miriam Makeba Concert, Entertainment Against Aids, Festival in the Park, Ray of Hope, Soweto String Concert, Zimbabwe Music Awards and various other projects for clients in the private sector, NGOs and other international organizations".

Synopsis of "Rituals"

"Rituals", a musical and inspirational journey through community driven healing processes that are impeded by lack of political will.

Can a legal settlement to political violence super cede the spiritual settlement of appeasing the avenging spirit in the case of murder?How possible is it for an activist to confess knowledge of murder and compensate the dead person's family with a daughter without risking being arrested and condemned for abusing the right of the girl child?

Can an ambitious politician be bold enough to a community cleansing ceremony of addressing the insults she passed on them during the political tension without opening a Pandora's Box and facing reprisal from her party? Is it possible for Zimbabwean politicians to put national interest ahead of their political interests?

Such questions are posed in this loaded and poignant play which promotes community driven, not just national driven healing as it appeals for individual as opposed to institutional interventions in peace building and reconciliation.

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