GMB partners Theatre in the Park

 The play premiered on Tuesday and is running from yesterday until July 15, 2012.
The parastatal, which falls under the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Develop-ment, also took the opportunity to introduce its new coffee brand, Mutarazi Coffee, which was ser-ved to guests at Tuesday’s premiere, together with the new Chewy Munchy maputi popcorn brand.
Rooftop Promotions creative director, Daves Guzha said the involvement of the corporate world into theatre provided an opportunity for companies to get a wider audience of their product while at the same time, their benevolent gesture would go a long way in supporting the arts industry in Zimbabwe.
“In a new strategy of giving corporate bodies the opportunity to adopt premiere nights; we are pleased to announce that the GMB has come on board for the first play of the season. Patrons will be kept warm throughout this winter with a hot cup of coffee while they enjoy sizzling hot productions. GMB is delighted to use this great platform to launch their product,” said Guzha.
He added that theatre lovers can expect another dosage of socially conscious productions from various producers from all over Zimbabwe this season, with more plays lined up at the Harare Gardens venue.
Starting this season, he said, the shows will run from Tuesday to Sunday. A Saturday matinee show has been slotted for 3pm, in addition to the popular 5:30pm evening show, while Sunday will only host a 3pm matinee.
Desperate in Love has been described as “a gem of a play” from Chifunyise, one of Zimbabwe’s finest theatre and screen playwrights. The cast features veteran television actors Tapiwa Mavindidze and Caroline Mashingaidze who, along with award-winning actress, Marian Kunonga, bring out the storyline.
In the play, Stella Matombo (Caroline) and Farai Mangwana (Tapiwa), are university graduates starting out in their careers and have deeply fallen in love with each other. Their relationship, based on promises and  fantasies, starts to crack when Maidei Zindonga (Marian, who plays Stella’s aunt), visits her flat and finds the two together.
While claiming to be educated, Stella appears ignorant of her own culture and tradition when Maidei puts her to test. After a two hour-interrogative conversation with aunt, will the relationship survive? Will tradition triumph over modernity? Is this a microcosym of the modern day young love in Zimbabwe?
Answers to these questions can only be obtained after watching the intriguing play, that started showing yesterday at Theatre in the Park.