REVIEWS & NOTES

"Play Of The Giants" by Chris Hamblin, Woye Soyinka play at Alliance Francaise 7th Feb

"Accidental Death of An Anarchist" by Catherine Meyers, Dario Fo play, event at Alliance Francaise 19th Dec 00

"The Aids Wall" by Chris Hamblin, public art event, unvieled 13th Dec 00 National Gallery

"Winnie the Pooh" by Claire Meriwether (aged 7), Reps Show Dec 2000

"ARFI L'Effet Vapeur" by Fanny Gauthier, Jazz event Playboy Club Tues 28th Nov 00

"Vangoni Dance Group" by Viv Hamblin, dance group from Mufakose (a Harare high-density suburb), event at Alliance Francaise Weds 13th Dec 00

"Waiters" by Chris Hamblin, reactions to first of a TV series based on plays by Steven Chifunyise

"Playland" by sds, Athol Fugard's play at Alliannce Francaise

"Robinson Crusoe" by Catherine Meyer play by Rooftop Productions at Theatre in the Park

"The Tempest" by Viv Hamblin play by Speciss College @ Reps Adrian Stanley Room

"Wish Upon A Star" at Reps June 2001 directed by Dawn Parkinson

"Bouncers" at St John's College directed by Adam Niell

"Can't Pay, Won't Pay" at Reps Upstairs Sept 2001 by Taura Tinzwe

"Woza Albert" at Theatre in the Park (TITP)

WE MISS YOU ALL :: Noerine Kaleeba: & AIDS in the Family by Noerine Kaleeba with Sunanda Ray 2nd Edition, Pub. by SAfAIDS, Harare 2002. Reviewed for AEL by Vivienne Hamblin

"Over The Edges' Fantastic Floating Circus" at PE Beit Hall Dec 2001 by OTE

"The Power of Prayer (Pvt) Ltd" review by Pai Domingu Rooftop at TITP Feb 2002

"Canterbury Tales" REPTEENS Production Feb/Mar 2002 ......some pictures

"Keep in Touch" review by Pai Dimingu TITP Feb/Mar 2002

"Samangika" review by Bart Wolffe

"PROXY LIBERTY (a few good niggers)" review by Chris Hamblin, response by the author

"The Stone Virgins" by Yvonne Vera reviewed by Vivienne Hamblin

"Romeo & Juliet" OTE, Siyaya & Feelgood @ 7 Arts, reviewed by Annette Eastwood

ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST by Dario Fo presented by Taura Tinzwe
@ ALLIANCE FRANCAISE Tues 19 Dec - 23 Dec, Tues 26 December - Sat 30 Dec @ 7pm New Years Eve perf. Sun 31 Dec

A REVIEW by Catherine Meyer

Last night I went to see Accidental Death of an Anarchist at Alliance
Francaise. It was excellent. In fact, it was the best play I have seen in
Harare (apart from some visiting groups during HIFA) in two years.

The play itself is very funny with witty and fast paced lines. The audience
spent much of the play doubled up with laughter. In the style of Eugene
Ionesco and other Absurdist dramatists, the actors often spoke directly to
the playwright about the play and the audience or to the audience
themselves. The actors also hilariously talked to each other as actors
rather than their characters and at one point Adam Neill (as Adam Neill)
began a serious discussion of present day politics and only stopped when one
actor reminded him that Bill Clinton had not even been heard of when the
play was written. These techniques were used to highlight the truth and
absurdity of the situation the play was dealing with: corruption in
government and police and the brutal consequences of this corruption. The
relevance of the theme to Zimbabwe today need hardly be pointed out.

A brilliant script could so easily be destroyed by poor or weak direction
and acting but Diana Wilson's direction was superb and the lead actors,
particularly the excellent, maniacal Adam Neill, were all in top form. The
minor parts were slightly disappointing: Parkinson missed far too many lines
but Nimmo and Wilson presented nervous though promising performances. But
none of this took too much away from a brilliant production.

Every serious play goer in Harare must see this play.

Catherine Meyer

Comments on Robinson Crusoe at Theatre in the Park

This was a daring, at times shocking, but mostly hilarious look at race
relations. As with the Accidental Death of an Anarchist, comedy was used to
get the message across. The directing and acting were brilliant, innovative
and it was great to see fairly new faces with new ideas".

Catherine Meyer

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