Come Freedom Come

– A Short text by Smith Likongwe.
A compelling contemporary story of an opposition MP under siege at his house on the day of tabling an important bill in parliament. Presented as part of the International short text project in Oslo, and at the International Workshop Festival in London. September 2006
Attacking cultural context for its contribution for big-man syndrome .-a compelling contemporary story of an opposition MP under siege at his house on the day of tabling an important bill in parliament. As confidence deteriorates in the MP’s motives, the MP himself comes under enormous pressure from an all-powerful ‘icon’ figure. The performance style draws upon traditional Nyau and Gule Wamkulu rituals and song, and used painted faces and stylised performance to create a nightmare vision.”

Most Malawian members of parliament HAVE NO FREEDOM from political party leaders who are in most cases not members of their constituencies. In addition to that, we, the people of poor countries in the third world, have no freedom to put in place our own indigenous development plans because we must follow what the International Monetary Fund says or else there would be no aid. “ – Smith Likongwe

As part of our research for the production’s style and cultural context, we were privileged enough to be taken into the secret world of a Gule Wamkulu practitioner, who shared the meaning behind the rituals, and the different masks, with us.

Fridom

Fridom – by Jon Fosse, tells a bitter-sweet romantic tale of what happens when a woman comes back to a man she left some time ago.The story looks at the way men deal with the concept of ‘freedom’ in relation to women. Presented as part of the International short text project in Oslo, and at the International Workshop Festival in London. September 2006.

The Woman wants The Man back. She thought she lost her freedom through the attachment of love, but discovers the opposite.

Fosse (born 1959) is a writer, poet and playwright. His work has been translated into more than 30 languages and he is currently the most performed contemporary playwright in Europe. He is considered to be the most important Norwegian playwright since Ibsen. Prizes include the Ibsen prize, Nordic Playwrighting Award, Honorary Hedda Award and an honorary award from the Norwegian Arts Council. He has also received recognition from the Order of St. Olav.