Election Day wins two NAMA Awards

Election Day, Christopher Mlalazi's play, adapted from the short story of the same name from Dancing with Life: Tales from the Township, has won two awards at the Zimbabwe National Arts Merit Awards. The play, directed by Eunice Ratidzo Tava, won Outstanding Theatrical Production and Teddy Mangava won the Outstanding Actor prize for his performance in the play.

'Election Day' nominated for 3 NAMA Awards

Christopher Mlalazi's play Election Day has been nominated for three awards at the 2011 Zimbabwe National Arts Merit Awards. The play is an adaptation of the short story of the same name that was published in Chris' Dancing with Life: Tales from the Township, published by 'amaBooks in 2008. Dancing with Life won the NAMA for Best First Published Creative Work in 2009 and was given an Honourable Mention at the 2009 Noma Awards for African Publishing.

The three nominations are for Outstanding Actress (Privilege Mutendera), Outstanding Actor (Teddy Mangava) and Outstanding Theatre Production (Eunice Ratidzo Tava). The winners will be announced on February 17.

Election Day had its premier at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (HIFA) 2010 and subsequently ran at Theatre in the Park in Harare. There are plans under way to adapt the play into a short film with Byron Locker in South Africa.

Christopher Mlalazi's Election Day at Theatre in the Park

Christopher Mlalazi's play Election Day is to run at Harare's Theatre in the Park from 10 to 27 November at 5.30pm and at 7.30pm each day, except Sundays and Mondays. The short story Election Day on which the play is based appears in Chris' award-winning collection Dancing with Life: Tale from the Township. The book is available in many outlets in Bulawayo and Harare, including just across Harare Gardens from the theatre at the National Gallery, for $8.

Outside of Zimbabwe, the book is available through many online outlets and can be read as an ebook in the USA through www.scribd.com.

"It is election time. His Excellency, Poka Oka Ndiseng’s ruling party is losing by a very wide margin in the polls. His wife, Samantha, and his personal advisor, Twenty, have both panicked and they are urging Ndiseng to flee the country, but an adamant Ndiseng tells them he is not going anywhere..."

The photograph is of the play's director Eunice Tava, twice winner of a National Arts Merit Award for Outstanding Actress.

The Zimbo Jam article about the play can be found at http://www.zimbojam.com/film-tv-a-theatre/theatrically-speaking/1927-christopher-mlalazi-play-premieres-at-theatre-in-the-park.html

Election Day sold out at HIFA

Christopher Mlalazi's Election Day, adapted from the short story of the same name in his award-winning collection Dancing with Life:Tales from the Township, played to a full house at each of its three performances at Reps Theatre during HIFA.

The play depicts the reactions of an African leader, his wife and his political advisor to the release of election results, which appear to be leading to a clear victory to the opposition.

The play was very well received by the audience at the performance we attended, and several copies of the book were sold afterwards. The director, Eunice Tava, told us that she hoped the play would move after HIFA to other venues around Zimbabwe.

Election Day was part of the HIFA Direct project, organised by British Council, Zimbabwe. Chris Mlalazi is a graduate of the British Council's Crossing Borders Project, a mentoring scheme for writers. Other Crossing Borders writers who have contributed to 'amaBooks publications include Bryony Rheam, Tinashe Mushakavanhu, Mzana Mthimkhulu, Chaltone Tshabangu, Raisedon Baya. Farai Mpofu and Fungai Machirori.

'amaBooks publications are available in Harare at the National Gallery, Book Cafe, the Art Mart at the Doon Estate, Delta Gallery, Pages Bookshop in Newlands, Avondale Bookshop, the Bookshelf at Arundel, and other Innov8 bookshops. In Bulawayo the books are in the Indaba Book Cafe, the National Gallery, Induna Arts, Z&N, Vignes, Afrodizziac, Book&Bean, Innov8 and Zero Suppliers. In South Africa they are in Clarkes of Cape Town, Xarra of Jo'burg, Protea of Pretoria and Adams of Durban. Elsewhere from www.africanbookscollective.com or www.booksofzimbabwe.com.

Election Day at HIFA 2010

Christopher Mlalazi's play Election Day, adapted from the short story of the same name that appears in his award-winning collection Dancing with Life: Tales from the Township, is to performed at HIFA this week, at Reps Theatre Upstairs on Wednesday 28 April at 4pm, Friday 30 April at 11.30am and Saturday 1 May at 4pm. Tickets are $5.

The book, also containing 9 other stories, can be purchased at several venues in Harare and Bulawayo for around $8.

'Election Day is a darkly comic tale about His Excellency, Poka Oka Ndiseng, whose party is losing a very important election. His wife, Samantha, and his personal advisor, Twenty, both panic and urge Ndiseng to flee the country, but an adamant Ndiseng wants to see things through right to the end.'