Udolo Wanga Fest seeks to ignite theatre spark

Udolo Wanga Festival and Conference makes its first footmark on Friday through to Sunday in Blantyre with a call that drama is unbroken and that it is not 'lifeless' as some quarters have always put it. Led by YDC Theatre, the festival which will be held at two venues – Portuguese Club and Alliance Francaise will draw theatre artists from Malawi, Zambia and Ghana. YDC Director and playwright Fumbani Phiri said Tuesday they were set for the fiesta which will attract 100 theatre artists. "We are not only looking at theatre performances but we also have presentations and workshops, and all this, is part of letting people know that theatre remains on top in the country," Phiri said. Udolo Wanga Festival was expected to be held last month but it was moved to this month due what YDC said were circumstances beyond their control. "This is more than a festival because we also have dance performances. This is also a platform for artist's exchange. We were supposed to have artists from South Africa but they will not make it likewise artists from Germany," Phiri said. He said artists from Germany are missing out because of the change of the dates for the festival. With themes of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), stigma, access, equity, consent, protection, advocacy and accountability, some of the presenters include act artivist and researcher at Department of Arts Nyokase Madise, researcher and theatre practitioner Alfred Kamwendo and University of Malawi lecturer Roselyn Dzanja Mataka. Phiri said the programme is set to include full length plays, devised pieces, workshops and panel discussions covering Theatre for Advocacy and Policy Influence, Devised Theatre and Community Storytelling, Youth led Creative Entrepreneurship, Intergenerational Collaboration and Digital Media and Performance. Powered by Hivos Southern Africa and French Institute, Phiri describes the festival as a strategic investment in the country's creative future.

WIRE — Udolo Wanga Festival and Conference makes its first footmark on Friday through to Sunday in Blantyre with a call that drama is unbroken and that it is not 'lifeless' as some quarters have always put it. Led by YDC Theatre, the festival which will be held at two venues – Portuguese Club and Alliance Francaise will draw theatre artists from Malawi, Zambia and Ghana. YDC Director and playwright Fumbani Phiri said Tuesday they were set for the fiesta which will attract 100 theatre artists. "We are not only looking at theatre performances but we also have presentations and workshops, and all this, is part of letting people know that theatre remains on top in the country," Phiri said. Udolo Wanga Festival was expected to be held last month but it was moved to this month due what YDC said were circumstances beyond their control. "This is more than a festival because we also have dance performances. This is also a platform for artist's exchange. We were supposed to have artists from South Africa but they will not make it likewise artists from Germany," Phiri said. He said artists from Germany are missing out because of the change of the dates for the festival. With themes of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), stigma, access, equity, consent, protection, advocacy and accountability, some of the presenters include act artivist and researcher at Department of Arts Nyokase Madise, researcher and theatre practitioner Alfred Kamwendo and University of Malawi lecturer Roselyn Dzanja Mataka. Phiri said the programme is set to include full length plays, devised pieces, workshops and panel discussions covering Theatre for Advocacy and Policy Influence, Devised Theatre and Community Storytelling, Youth led Creative Entrepreneurship, Intergenerational Collaboration and Digital Media and Performance. Powered by Hivos Southern Africa and French Institute, Phiri describes the festival as a strategic investment in the country's creative future.

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