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Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent 

WHEN you watch Gift Chakuvinga and Charmaine Mudau perform the roles of President and First Lady respectively in the play, The Last Days of King Africa, one is reminded of former president Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace. 

The play, written by Raisedon Baya and directed by Memory Kumbota, is a theatrical depiction of the last days in power of a long serving African president.

It was showcased at the Bulawayo Theatre as part of World Theatre day belated celebrations. 

Also in the play were Cedric Msongwelwa who played Bazzoka, the president’s loyal sidekick and Zenzo Nyathi who played the part of a prophet and traditional healer.

The play hits too close to home and although it does not explicitly say that the events happened in Zimbabwe, the similarities in character and storyline cannot be ignored.

Another thing that cannot be ignored is the on- stage relationship between an old president and his young wife who happens to be called the First Lady. 

The way Chakuvinga played the president reminded people so much of former president Mugabe, with his rickety walk, which was aided by a walker to help him manoeuvre the stage. 

In the play, the president is a man who is tormented by voices around which only he can hear bellowing insults and ridicule that his people hate him. 

Every time a cow bell chimes, perhaps signalling that it is time up, the old president or king cowers his already aged body in fear, grunting and creaking with every move.

The Last Days of King Africa plays on the impressions that people had about former president Mugabe and his last days in power. 

His wife, Grace is today still regarded as a power -hungry woman who wanted to take over the reins from her husband. 

Another belief is that president Mugabe was tired of power but kept on ruling because his wife had assumed the powers to appoint and dismiss, something that was laid bare during the Star Rallies around the country. 

In the play, Mudau assumes this role with aplomb, bossing everyone around like a queen on a chess board as she moves in any direction removing any piece that threatens her king. 

However, all this was in pursuit of eliminating any person who was blocking her ambitions. 

But Mudau said her character was not Grace Mugabe. 

“The play, as much as it is based on something that happened, we tried to make it as relatable to any African country as possible. That is why we said this is something that happened in a far away but not so far away country. I went onto the internet, researched and watched videos. The reason I did that was because I didn’t want to copy how she behaves. I tried as much as possible not to do what she was doing on stage and give the character new life,” said Mudau. 

Mudau said it was not the easiest thing to play the first lady.

“It was challenging at the beginning. When you’re performing in front of an audience you know that you’re portraying something that people think is based on facts, they have their own pre-conceived ideas. 

“They forget that sometimes theatre isn’t about imitating but making people believe that I am a certain person and I exist for that one hour we are on stage. It has been challenging and at the same time interesting,” said Mudau.

In The Last Days of King Africa, it was as if Raisedon Baya, the writer, was a fly on the wall as Operation Restore Legacy unfolded.