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Zimbabwe
Ruins Group: Mann Friday |
| Dave Clements | |
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Zimbabwe Ruins is an autobiographical collection of songs by a white boy growing up 'as African as apple pie'. The subject/singer - it's about him really - is clearly racked with guilt because of his privileged childhood. We see images reminiscent of Oxfam appeals. Robert Mugabe morphs into Adolf Hitler (subtle). Land reform, alleged vote rigging and abductions by Zanu-PF become appendages to his angst. 'Life is tough in Africa' he says. We hear of the townships and the poverty. 'Life is tough in Africa' again - he cheated on his girlfriend! Everyone, except me it seems, clapped along to the last song. The chorus went: 'be yourself, be nothing else and dance'. It was about hope apparently. I'm not sure what they were trying to do but it didn't work at any level. A conversation I overheard as we left the performance summed it up for me - 'It was so amazing, I just wanted to burst into tears'. 1
August to 24 August.
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