Dispassionately Critical of Zimbabwe

Dispassionately Critical of Zimbabwe [DISCRIT ZIMBABWE] is a play showing at La Mama Theatre in Carlton from 12 to 29 June. The play comes after months of hope and trepidation for Zimbabweans around the world, following the much-anticipated 31 March presidential and parliamentary elections. Hope for a new era led to a massive turnout of Zimbabweans to vote at the elections, determined to vote out the Robert Mugabe regime.

For the rest of us living abroad, fear of manipulation of the ballot left us in despair, for our lives will remain forever intertwined with the tragedy that our country has become. The protracted release of results only served to fuel our fear, as again violence was perpetrated on the innocent and frail. The opposition winning the majority of seats in parliament was a welcome joy when the results were finally announced. The fact that Mugabe was not "officially defeated" at the elections and a run-off has been called for 27 June, shows the determination by his regime to stifle the people's will, at all costs. Who can deny the pictures of violence and death released to the world, signifying an intense violent clampdown on people who democratically voted for change?

This violence is no new phenomenon to the people; in 1999 white farmers and their black workers were the victims in the infamous land invasions which were integral to the regime's land distribution policy. DISCRIT ZIMBABWE’S centre mirrors the violence and desperation of 1999, at Happy Estate farm were Jeff and his wife Anne are trapped in their house by a mob of so-called war veterans.

Speaking to the cast and crew, Chris Molyneux, DISCRIT Zimbabwe director, said: "the culture, history and politics of the country invoke an intense stage energy that in rehearsals is only dissipated by the camaraderie that exists amongst the cast and production crew".

As the writer of the play and having grown up on a farm, I know that losing our land in such a manner would have been devastating to our family and friends. With so many memories of growing up tied to it: family celebrations, traditions and not to mention the family graves, I can only feel for all who were violently ejected from their farms.

As we await the presidential run-off in Zimbabwe, The Skinny Twin production crew and cast in conjunction with La Mama invite you to be part of the povho, outside Jeff’s farm, and experience Happy Estate Farm in 1999, when sanity went out the window. Welcome to DISCRIT ZIMBABWE.