McArthur Matukuta is the Exectutive Director of Solomonic Peacock Theatre in Malawi and Kate Stafford is a theatre director in the UK, who has spent several years making work in Malawi. Hazel and Chimzy want to find out about their connection and what international theatre collaborations could look like between Malawi and Scotland.

"We are able to tell our own stories in our own way. Because this is what I saw when I travelled in different countries. Artists are able to tell their stories in their traditional way... it has also helped us telling a story in a Malawian way, but of international standard."

Here are some links to the work of Solomonic Peacock:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vByQGKkCSLM&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0B8R7MMWwqI&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTlYSlSfbEE&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nPxe8Ygugc&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

It's the only international theatre festival in Malawi and the only festival which is livestreamed on Facebook.

https://eastertheatrefestival.org/

Pamtondo is a play, telling a story in a particularly malawian way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QogXUCFhb7o&ab_channel=SolomonicPeacocks

Here's a crowdfunder for the Easter Festival:

https://gofund.me/70942104

And one to support some volunteers to go there

The Tempest toured the UK in 2017 with a company of 10, 4 from Malawi: Joshua Bhima and Robert Magasa played Ariel; Stanley Mambo played Caliban and Ben Michael Mankhamba was one of the two musician/composers. Caliban’s lines were all in Chichewa with surtitles, and Ariel spoke in English when speaking to Prospero (the Island’s coloniser) and Chichewa when speaking to each other or Caliban. Miranda spoke English with some Chichewa phrases (when speaking to Caliban).

https://vimeo.com/797798031