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Mthabisi Tshuma, Showbiz Correspondent
Vagina Monologues Africa, an international episodic play which was written by Eve Ensler in New York and adopted by Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, is set to be launched online next month.

The local play which was a hit at last year’s festival was directed by Memory Kumbota and produced by Chipo Mawarire. It features Musawenkosi Sibanda, Agnes Ncube, Sithabile Ndubiwa, Charmaine Mudau and Lady Tshawe.

Vagina Monologues Africa consists of a number of monologues that explore issues that women deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Producer, Mawarire said: “Vagina Monologues Africa is an adaptation of Eve Ensler’s 1996 play dealing with women’s issues. The monologue tackles issues that include consent, sexuality, rape, hair and childbirth. It seeks to empower women and give them a voice stemming from sexual matters to all areas of life. This is an all new script written by seven Zimbabwean ladies.”

Mawarire who is also the Intwasa Arts festival koBulawayo programmes assistant said they were yet to finalise the date for the online premiere although assuring people that it will definitely be next month.

Although they would have hoped to have the online version tackle challenges women are facing during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Mawarire said it was not possible as the play was acted out before the pandemic began.

“The monologues already tackle ills against women. However, there’s no specific one on lockdown and times of crisis as the script was already finished and edited by the time the pandemic hit.”

Some of the topics covered in the monologue are My first time, Period and period pain, Hair, Ways in which vaginas are like strawberries, Chemicals are not a vagina’s friend, The prostitute, Sex talk, I faked it first then found it, A vagina goes to prison, The big O, Got pregnant hid it, Got rid of it and hid it and Not all women have vaginas among many others.

@mthabisi_mthire