(a play in the manner, roughly, of
Alfred Jarry)
When General Uzi's military
government is overthrown by coup d'ιtat expert General Basha, the
African nation of Guatana declares itself 'Democratic'.
Well ... 'democratic' until the next military coup d'ιtat.
Sup on spit roasted game, indulge the vices of semi
literate toadies, loot a few public funds and nibble on a spot of torture
for dessert as Zimbabwe's acclaimed Over The Edge Theatre Company recreate
Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka's hysterical Africanisation of Jarry's
Ubu Roi.
Cast
Listing
Basha Bash, later, King Baabu
Craig
Peter
Maariya, Shokikpoki
........
..Danai
Gurira
Potipoo, Crowd,
Petitioner, Marabout, CMOP
Kevin Hanssen
Rout, Biibabae, Banker, Potiplan
Denton
Chikura
Rent/Dope, Shoki.......
.
Zane E.
Lucas
Tikim
..........................
....
.Adam Neill
Random Military, Crowd,
Women
..Members
of the Cast
Directed by
.. Sarah Norman
Costume Designer
. Heeten Bhagat
Set and Props Designer
Carine Tredgold
(a play in the manner, roughly, of Alfred Jarry) Directors Notes KING BAABU is an African epic, tracing the rise and fall of a vicious dictator. Its obviously a story to which Zimbabweans can relate. The situation of the play is grotesque, bloody and complex; much like our own. The bizarre Baabu world often seems right next door, especially in the second act as Baabu and Co. stop using their heads and begin literally using their groins: making decisions based on their animal desires - for sex, power, money - and abandoning even a pretence of `ideology`, slogans or promises. A grim story, certainly, but not at all a grim play. BAABU is (if it can be classified at all) a comedy; even a farce. We laugh because we are appalled or because we dont know what else to do with Baabus excesses, his ludicrousness. In this also it is strangely Zimbabwean. We hope that in KING BAABU we can share the harsh and brutal comedy that is the daily life of most Zimbabweans with the rest of the world, if only for an hour and a half. Despite the fact that we have no oil reserves, we think our plight deserves attention: both in and of itself, and because the theme - the corruption of power - is universal. It is ours particularly today, but will be someone elses tomorrow; and the play contains much that is wise not just about corruption but about ordinary people - such as our audience members - and their complicity in that corruption. Soyinka once said that democracy is a marathon, not a sprint. With this production of this play we hope to move our much loved country - even our continent - one small step closer.