Mandy productions double bill play an emotional night
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday December 1, 2016 18:00
The event kick started with Women Against Rape (WAR) production based on rape and performed by three women. It showcased different acts of rape such as defilement, work place rape and marital rape. Three women Warona, Amantle and Refilwe narrated their heartbreaking stories that changed their lives forever.
One of the touching stories was that of Warona also known as Mmaagwe Tumo. She narrated how her husband used to be one in a million. The couple had a beautiful relationship before marriage and how he would spoil her, ensuring that she was happy at all times and even bought them a house. He later married her and things used to be so good between them. After having their son Tumo, her husband’s bond with his son was strong until things took a sour turn. He started drinking and coming home late at night.
He stopped giving his son the fatherly love he used to. She became a stranger in his own house. When Warona tried to interrogate him on his sudden change of behaviour he assaulted her. Things got worse when she caught him on their marital bed with another woman. His respect for his wife was gone. He went away, upon his arrival, when Warona tried to talk to him he assaulted and threw insults at her before raping her. It was the point when Warona knew her marriage was over.
As for Amantle, she was six weeks pregnant when one fateful night while cooking, four men appeared in her house. She was shocked and stood there numb. One of them told her to keep quiet when his companions took everything they desired. She let the thieves take everything hoping that they would go away.
Unfortunately, when they were about to leave, one of the crooks told others not to go and they started raping her. Her efforts to stop them by telling them that she was pregnant landed on deaf ears. After the culprits left she blew a whistle and her neighbours called the police who took her to the hospital. Unfortunately, she lost her job.
The way the women were narrating their stories was extraordinary. They started off in a happy tone but as they continued their mood and facial expressions changed. The screams and cries as they talked about the abuse pierced through many hearts and the room fell silent.
Meanwhile, in A Day Before Execution (I’m Sorry Mr President) play, it narrated a different perspective of events. The four male actors who were perpetrators were trying to explain to the President why they ended up committing those crimes.
These men were sharing their stories of love and tragedy. In this play, the convicted prisoners facing the death sentence, who were left with only 24-hours before meeting their fate, shared their stories with the audience before pleading for forgiveness to the President.
Dragon the drug lord was obsessed with a young girl called Linda. Unfortunately, after failing to woe the young girl, his desire became fierce. When Linda dated a young boy who was Dragon’s mule, he was infuriated. One fateful day, Dragon spotted poor Linda going home from school. His desire to touch her got stronger and he followed her until she reached a bridge.
At the time, it was dark. He grabbed her by the neck knocked her down and strangled her until she was helpless. He then forced himself onto her. The helpless girl’s efforts to scream did not succeed because Dragon continuously strangled her while raping her until she died; yet he claimed to love her.
Matomela was a gay young man who discovered his new sexuality while at tertiary school. His disappointed father who was a pastor threw him out of his house. He fell in love with a businessman, Pule, who rented him a house. Pule cheated on Matomela with a girl and rejected him before their friends. Matomela who was angry resorted to stabbing him with a knife. He however, promised that if he would be pardoned he would ask his father to help him change to a better person. He also promised to change lives through his experience.
A taxi driver D4D fell in love with beautiful Gladys when she was in her form three. The two had a beautiful romance. After failing form three, he paid for her BOCODOL tuitions till she passed and commenced to senior school where she failed her BGCSE and D4D continued paying for her tuition. She passed and went to study engineering in South Africa. At the time, the couple had a son. D4D thought that since Gladys future looked bright, their lives would also change for the better.
Unfortunately she dumped him for another man. He convinced her to come to him and talk about their son only for her to meet her fate. He raped and chopped off her head with a spade and gave it to her mother who had throughout their romance tormented him that he was too old for her daughter despite having received his presents.
All the actors’ voices sounded with rage. However, those men’s apologies did not seem sincere. The setting was fabulous as it portrays prison life.