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The Two Geltlemen of Zimbabwe & their Diaspora Audience at Shakespeare's Globe

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 December 2013

Penelope Woods
Affiliation:
University of Western Australia
Martin Banham
Affiliation:
Emeritus Professor of Drama & Theatre Studies, University of Leeds
James Gibbs
Affiliation:
Senior Visiting Research Fellow, University of the West of England
Femi Osofisan
Affiliation:
Professor at the University of Ibadan
Jane Plastow
Affiliation:
Professor of African Theatre, University of Leeds
Yvette Hutchison
Affiliation:
Associate Professor, Department of Theatre & Performance Studies, University of Warwick
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Summary

The trapdoor of the empty Globe stage lifted a fraction and Denton Chikura's head looked out, wide-eyed in wonder. Chikura flung the trapdoor open with a crash and the audience hushed in expectation. He gazed around in silent consternation at the visible Globe audience. Open-mouthed, he let out a high-pitched, aspirated ‘Ah’ of amazement. Slowly he began climbing out of the trapdoor, carrying something. He had one end of a large and battered blue trunk and as he manoeuvred it out of the trap, another head appeared and the other door of the trap banged open. Tonderai Munyevu clutched his heart in astonishment, seeing the assembled audience. The two black men, dressed somewhat incongruously in velvet breeches, hose and Elizabethan-style leather shoes, carried their luggage up onto the Globe stage, still looking around them in surprise. They took some steps backwards. As if unsure what to do next, they took an awkward but delighted bow. The audience cheered and clapped. They took another bow. The audience thundered applause.

Setting the trunk down, the Gents opened it and began to take out scraps of cloth. Shaking the travelling dust out of each, they lifted them out one by one and hung them carefully on a rope strung between two pillars at the back of the stage. There were thirteen items, including several scarves – one patterned, one diaphanous blue, one bright red – as well as a military beret, a yellow jerkin, a long silky white glove, a leash, a sash, and so on.

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African Theatre 12
Shakespeare in and out of Africa
, pp. 13 - 27
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer
Print publication year: 2013

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