BY KUDZAI CHITSATSO ACTOR and director Tafadzwa “Bob” Mutumbi says he is advocating for an end to early child marriages through his new theatre play titled Maimbodeyi, which was recently premiered at the Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre in Harare.
In an interview with Standard Style, Mutumbi said as an actor he needed to say something to the public about early marriages.
“It was relevant doing the play because in the midst of this pandemic of early child marriages we needed to say something as actors,” he said.
“This issue is topical among women and it’s up to us men to talk about it as well.”
Maimbodeyi is a Jasen Mphepo Production that was written and directed by Mutumbi.
“The play looks at early child marriages portrayed in both religious and cultural ways,” Mutumbi said.
“In the play there are three characters called Maidei who all end up as bride maids.
“The first one has to be a wife to an avenging spirit; the second one is married to his father’s goblins while the third one elopes to a boy whom her father suspect is her boyfriend, though the two are not lovers.”
“All these things are happening in our community and we are not talking about it, we have normalised the abnormal.”
The play features great talents such as Nash Mphepo and Clive Jonga who plays background music.
Mutumbi started acting in preschool, but got his big chance at the Harare International Festival of Arts in 2013 under Young Africa Skills Centre.
He is currently working on Jinxed, a TV series that created the early child marriage concept.