Can a play overthrow a government?
22 December 2009
Playwright Stanley Makuwe speaks about his banned play, Overthrow and his thoughts on the politics of Zimbabwe and its effects on literature. Makuwe is a trained psychiatric nurse based in New Zealand, his maiden publication, Under this Tree and Other Stories was published in 2005, and he has acted in the Hollywood film, UnderWorld 3.
What do you think is the role of literature in the present Zimbabwe?
Zimbabwean literature has failed to reach its full potential in the last ten years or more. After independence a lot of books were published about the war. When things started to change for the worse in the country our literature appeared to be on the decline as there appeared to be nothing much published about what has been happening over the years. Every literature lover is aware people are writing against what is happening but publishers, maybe out of fear, are not interested in such material, leaving literature with very little role to play in freeing our country.
Do you think Zimbabwean writers consciously or unconsciously censor themselves or refrain from writing about certain issues?
Zimbabwean writers are not censoring themselves in any way. They are writing against what’s happening today but the publishers, as I said, maybe out of fear, are not getting the work out there. They want to survive, we can’t blame them. They have families to feed too. Material against the current political and economic situation is being suppressed by someone. We don’t know exactly who though. Do you think Shimmer Chinodya is the only writer to talk about in Zimbabwean literature today? Is he the only one writing work worth publishing and praising? I don’t think so. He is staying away from the current political situation and the government-controlled newspapers can’t stop singing songs of praise for him. His work is easy for publishers to publish. Wait until he “rises up.” They will make sure they kill his work as they tried with Chenjerai Hove’s. Having said that, Shimmer Chinodya is a man every Zimbabwean would be proud of. He has put our name on the map despite all the depressing things coming out of our country.
Considering the fact that you are living in Europe, do you consider yourself primarily as a Zimbabwean writer or just as a writer in a larger global community?
I am a Zimbabwean and African so my writing will always be Zimbabwean or African, which ever way you may take it. Ngugi has been living out of Africa for many years but he is ours – an African writer. I want my writing to reflect where I come from.
In the light of several plays that have been banned in Zimbabwe recently what picture of democracy and freedom do you have?
There is no democracy to talk about. Until our mouths are allowed to speak freely, we will not discuss the topic of democracy. When the time for the tongue comes to run freely in the mouth without the fear of being bitten by the teeth it shall start talking of how free and independent it is in the mouth. Let’s take of the picture of dictatorship painted on our faces and wash it off. Zimbabwe is not free yet.
Using your recent experiences, can a play overthrow a government?
A play will not overthrow a government, neither will an opposition leader addressing villagers down in rural Shurugwi. A combination of everything and everyone will free Zimbabwe. Unity and speaking with one voice against oppression will free Zimbabwe.
What is the play Overthrown about and what inspired it?
It’s about dead bodies that rise against a dictator after realizing that the living have failed. They kill his flesh and burn his soul. It was inspired by the suffering of dead bodies that I have witnessed with my own eyes. Both the living and the dead are facing the same hardships and it’s time for the dead to join hands with the living to bring back what belongs to us-freedom. Dead bodies have life too, you know.
And how have you reacted to the ban of a play that I assume is innocent and yet overloaded with social meaning?
It only confirmed what I and many others know already that there is no freedom and independence in Zimbabwe.
Do you think Zimbabwean playwrights will be cowed by such actions?
Zimbabwean playwrights have never been intimidated by the government’s actions. They have always spoken through their art against a leadership leading its people from the bay of plenty to the bay of poverty. Instead of them tucking their tails between their legs with fear, playwrights are rising in numbers by the day. The government bans a play today only to hear that a new one is being rehearsed somewhere else. As I said, Zimbabwean playwrights have been the hardest to silence. Protest theatre is nothing new. It started way back before things got to where they are today. Remember the days of Denford Magora and his plays, Dr Government and The Cabinet Minister is Sweating? He got into big trouble with the government after releasing these plays and to this day I regard him as one of the god-fathers of Protest Theatre. I just hope he will one day come back to finish the work he started together with other grandfathers of Protest Theatre like Mr Cont Mhlanga.
The organisation – Voices for Change – how effective is it under such repressive legislation such as AIPPA and POSA that curtail freedom of speech?
Voices for change is meant to give artists the opportunity to speak with one voice. It’s meant to speak for freedom while AIPPA and POSA are meant to protect the paranoid ones. As I said, nothing will be effective until all mouths speak with one tongue, voices coming out through one throat.
What is the power of language/literature that make our authorities so scared?
Language has been known to be more powerful than the gun and the sword, that’s why when colonialists invaded our countries they started by eradicating native languages. That tells us how powerful and fearsome language can be. It makes oppressors and dictators shiver. Literature is a voice spoken with one’s mouth closed and it falls in the same bracket with language, so according to oppressors it must die the same death-by hanging.
What new work are you currently working on?
I am working on another play to be titled ROGUES AND MONSTERS. I was inspired by Wole Soyinka’s words to write this one when he said: “I don’t care about the colour of the foot pressing on my neck – I just want to remove it.” If those sitting on high chairs thought OVERTHROWN was treason then they must think again when this one comes on stage.
