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Topic 2 of 6 · Form 5

Theatre history and traditions

Amakhosi Theatre Productions in Bulawayo (founded by Cont Mhlanga), Theatre in the Park and Reps Theatre in Harare, the Zimbabwe Association of Community Theatre (ZACT), the Children's Performing Arts Workshop (CHIPAWO), and festivals such as HIFA and Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo.

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Western theatre history

  • Greek theatre (5th century BC): tragedy and comedy, the chorus, masks, amphitheatres; Aristotle's Poetics.
  • Medieval: mystery and morality plays.
  • Elizabethan and Jacobean (Shakespeare): thrust stages, open-air playhouses, verse drama.
  • Commedia dell'arte: stock characters and improvisation.
  • Realism and naturalism (Ibsen, Chekhov): everyday life, the "fourth wall".
  • 20th century: Brecht's epic theatre, Theatre of the Absurd (Beckett), Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty, physical theatre and postmodern performance.

African theatre traditions

  • Ritual and ceremony, storytelling (ngano/inganekwane) with call and response, praise poetry, masquerades, dance-drama.
  • Colonial-era school and church drama; protest theatre.
  • The liberation struggle: pungwe night gatherings used song, drama and political education.
  • Post-independence: community theatre, theatre for development, and professional companies.

Zimbabwean theatre

Amakhosi Theatre Productions in Bulawayo (founded by Cont Mhlanga), Theatre in the Park and Reps Theatre in Harare, the Zimbabwe Association of Community Theatre (ZACT), the Children's Performing Arts Workshop (CHIPAWO), and festivals such as HIFA and Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo.

Exam tip: Compare features of different traditions – e.g. the role of the audience in Greek, realist and African storytelling theatre.

Check yourself

  1. What was the role of the chorus in Greek tragedy?
  2. What was a pungwe?
  3. Name a theatre company based in Bulawayo.
Show answers
  1. To comment on the action, express collective feelings and connect the audience with the story.
  2. A night gathering during the liberation struggle using songs, drama and speeches for mobilisation.
  3. Amakhosi Theatre Productions.
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