Shimmer Chinodya promises more plays

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Internationally-acclaimed author, Shimmer Chinodya says he will commit more resources and time on creating plays from his written work.

Internationally-acclaimed author, Shimmer Chinodya says he will commit more resources and time on creating plays from his written work.

By Kennedy Nyavaya

The multi-award winning writer said this at Theatre in the Park on Thursday during the launch of a stage play he produced and directed, off his novel Harvest of Thorns Classic. Responding to questions after the play, Chinodya said instead of hunting for donor-funding, he would channel his resources on production to set impetus into his theatre exploits.

“People think writing is miserable, this is not miserable. I love bringing literature to life and that is what I did with Harvest of Thorns,” he said.

“This is why I am in theatre now and I think people should invest text book money in plays.”

While plans to produce a film off his Commonwealth prize-winning Harvest of Thorns were stalled in the 1990s, the accomplished writer promised that its production was still in the pipeline.

“I have got very close to doing it [producing the film version]. I should not die so we can do it and I can promise you, we will,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chinodya has risen through the ranks, commanding extensive respect locally and outside the country, having educated a great deal of students in the country through his set books in schools.

“Literally, success ends up in loneliness and all that people want to strip you of your dignity, even your friends can collude with your relatives,” he said.

“Zimbabwe is a very cruel country, some told me. I have educated more than 10 million people and that is true, but I never feel that because people are not kind to us [artists]. It is amazing how they want to bring you down.”