The National Theatre Association of Malawi (NTAM) has organised a four-day International Theatre Festival which will bring together local and international theatre companies.
According to lead coordinator for the Malawi International Theatre Festival, Bright Tchayatchaya, the international theatre companies are from USA, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
He said among others, participants will join the country and the rest of the world in commemorating the 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), which is an annual international campaign, from November 25 to December 10.
The festival, which will start from December 1 in Blantyre, and will bring together 12 local groups and 8 from outside the country, will also spice up the international aids day which falls on December 1 which is the day the festival will be launched.
“The launching day also happens to be the International Aids Day commemoration, so we have dedicated this day to explore issues of HIV and AIDS and also the festival is coming during the 16 days of activism against Gender Based Violence, and we have organised free shows to be performed in marketplaces to raise awareness on issues of GBV,” said Tchayatchaya.
President of the National Theatre Association, Maxwell Denison Chipinga, said they have already engaged different stakeholders to raise K63 million which has been budgeted for the event.
“We have networked with corporate world and organisations as well as business individuals who have welcomed the idea and they have promised us that they want to be part and parcel and we believe that the K63 million will be raised without any problem,” Chipinga said.
Other activities to take place at the festival include traditional dances, storytelling and a street carnival.
The festival will reach its climax with a presentation ceremony of awards in 21 categories including best theatre group, best directors, best script writing, best comedies, best performing school just to mention a few.
Zimbabwe and Zambia have three theatre companies each to participate, while South Africa and USA have one company each.
