1. Charles Austin Theatre Is Not Dead.
by Doug Hill
Despite rumours that the Charles Austin Theatre in Masvingo was facing closure, the truth is that it
is open and fully operational. With assistance from friends of the theatre, it is rising like t~e
traditional phoenix and taking is taking old and new audiences along with it. The theatre calendar is
already filled with events ranging from play productions, play readings, revues, theatre workshops,
game shows, concerts and film screenings of motion pictures based on classic plays. The Charles
Austin Theatre is going to serve its audience with a frothy and tasty concoction of old and new
innovative ideas.
Currently the Masvingo Drama Circle is rehearsing two one-act plays which are bound for the One-
Act Festival which is to be held at the Reps Theatre in Harare in August. Another play which is in the
pipe line is the rib-cracking farce "A Bedfull of Foreigners" which is planned for production soon.
The rejuvenation is not confined to activities on the stage but also the bar has been improved and is
now fully stocked with a large variety of drinks and a new kitchen menu of fast food snacks and
meals is now available.
In life there will always be a few pillars that can be shaken by natural or circumstantial earthquakes.
These few pillars may totter almost to the point of collapsing and shattering at the impact of such
earthquakes but, thanks to their age-old foundations and the blood and sweat that went into their
construction, will withstand the deadly blows that will come down upon them like hailstorms.
Charles Austin Theatre, one of Zimbabwe's well known theatres is one enduring example of such
pillars. It is no secret that the last two years have come with a bag of misfortunes: court cases and an
unfair share of bad publicity. Even the most enduring institutions would be shaken by such episodes.
However, there is no point in relaying what the reasons behind the court cases and the bad publicity
were but to simply proclaim that the Charles Austin Theatre, though shaken badly and bruised, is
rising from the ashes like the great phoenix with an enthusiastic staff, committee and volunteer
helpers. The plan is to restore the reputation which the Masvingo Drama Circle has built up over the
years.
It has been a stormy two years and without the friends of the Theatre who stood by it during these
trying times the Charles Austin Theatre would not have made it .
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