The musical is about ordinary people trying to live normal lives against a background of political aggression – intimidation, murder, election fraud and torture – by a president and ruling party intent on keeping power at any price. It is the love story of a gardener, Herald, and Kindness, a girl from the rural areas, and the tragic story of Herald’s sister, Thembi, married to Kindness’ unemployed brother Daniel. To escape huge debts Daniel joins the President’s terrorising gangs of thugs on the promise of big money. However, there is also plenty of fun and much to sing and dance about in this beautiful land. Â
Over 30 songs weave together the stories of the unemployed, rural and township dwellers, the black and white middle-class, street kids, politicians and the gangs in a two- hour show.
The show can be performed as either an intimate piece with music played by a small band or even just recorded keyboard backing. Or it can be an orchestral spectacular with big dance scenes in the township, the brickyard and the rural stockade (where Zulu dancing celebrates the betrothal), and the confrontation between the leading characters and the gangs in the final Act. Â
Musical style varies throughout. Songs in the rural stockade, Lobola and The Girl Child, the work song When Brother Helps Brother in the brickyard and Smile, Smile, Smile are African folk-based. The dark theme for The Voice of War has an African drum-beat. Other songs are blues, rock, rap or ballads. – To learn more, visit www.cryzimbabwe.com where you can listen to extracts from the songs, download the script and sheet music, and contact the author.
Post published in: Arts