England-based Bilimankhwe Arts group has adopted Stanley Kenani’s short story ‘Love on Trial’ into a stage play to be premiered in London next month. Kenani’s homosexual short story, nominated for the Caine Award last year, plays as an opener for Malawians to debate homosexuality issues.
According to the artistic director of Bilimankhwe Arts, Kate Stafford, the adoption intertwines Kenani’s story with the arrest of the British singer George Michael for ‘lewd conduct’ in a Los Angeles public toilet in 1998.
“We are using the two stories, one from Malawi and the other from the UK, to investigate global attitudes towards homosexuality.” said Stafford in an e-mail interview.
However, she said there will be a recorded material to be performed by Diana Phiri, a Malawian living in the UK.
“We have no immediate plans to bring it to Malawi but if we decide to develop it further, we would very much like to have it performed there [Malawi],” said Stafford.
The play is being directed by Roe Lane, a holder of masters in text and performance from the University of London, but also studied at St Andrew’s International High school in Blantyre.
