THE RENDITION MEETS MUFARO MAKUBIKA
“It’s probably been the hardest in my writing experience, but also the most rewarding and joyous experience of my writing career.”
In 2020, we saw the global pandemic bring the world to stand still, all while increasing human connection through technology. During the pandemic, Mufaro Makubika hosted a Zoom meeting with Zimbabweans across the UK to discuss and highlight the key elements in the book ‘We Need New Names’ by NoViolet Bulawayo.
Mufaro read the book not too long after it was published and swiftly resonated with it. The stories of Darling, Chipo and Bastard spoke to his childhood memories — he saw himself in the book and was eager to make something out of it. Years later, following more conversations and discussions, Mufaro brings his rendition of We Need New Names to stage.
We speak about his initial desire to adapt the book to stage, his correspondents with NoViolet Bulawayo and the story of winners and losers.
“I just want to share the joy and the feelings I got from the book”
QUESTION: What drew you to the book?
ANSWER: So I read the book, to just read and find out what it's like and I felt like and when I picked it up, I just felt like it was reading me. I was reading a story I understood, characters where I knew them.. I knew them intimately, I hung out with these people. I shared some of their desires and hopes and it felt like it was telling my story. I was like oh, ‘she's captured an element or an essence of part of who I am’, and I just fell in love with her bravery and vision to tell a story that is sometimes stark and brutal; but full of joy and amazingly beautiful characters.
So I read it, and I just loved the book.
QUESTION: What is your favourite thing about the book?
ANSWER: I think one thing I really enjoyed was how honest the characters were.I think what’s quite genius about her writing is that it seems to transcend borders, I guess that's why the book is so popular and why it resonates with a lot of people.
Her world is populated with beautifully, beautifully rendered characters. I love the poetic sense and how the characters take themselves, what they say, who they are and how they are drawn. I love those kids and the journey they go on. Our challenge is how we capture that energy, that vibrancy, that humour and that poignancy the characters carry.
QUESTION: What were NoViolets thoughts when you reached out to her and how have her insights helped with the adaptation?
ANSWER: I wrote a letter to her. I was working with Fifth World and New Perspective, and I was just so desperate to see if I could. I was a fan first and foremost and I felt like I could bring something to it, I could share the work on a wide, different platform.
I wrote a letter and told her my life story. I just said I was a kid born in Zim… then I did this journey and moved from Zim to England as a young person. I told her the love I had for her creating this story and telling it for all of us.
She came back, she was very positive and that's how we started it. She didn't have any stipulations about ‘I want it this way, I want it that way’. She has been involved in the process and getting to talk to her about the work and adaptation. She has been reading the drafts, really engaging with the process - she's been wonderful.
QUESTION: What story does Mufaro want to tell with this play?
ANSWER: I want to tell the story of winners and losers and the game of immigration as an assimilation as winners and losers. That is the story I want to tell. It’s about winners and losers and the cost of that thing of the journey; what you start off as, and what you dream of and imagine. And when you do that journey, what it becomes.
QUESTION: What should people expect?
ANSWER: I think what the audience should expect is a story being told by a group of people passionate about the story and want to share it, as openly and as beautifully as we can. We want to tell this story that means a lot, to alot of us on the team. We want to tell it well and share a little bit of who we are with the audience.
QUESTION: How would you describe the production in 3 words?
ANSWER: Honest, Funny and Poignant
We enjoyed discussing the vision of this play with Mufaro, and we’re looking forward to the play.
The UK Tour runs from 28th April - 10th June, with shows coming up in Newcastle, Peterborough, Bristol, Sheffield and Nottingham.
Tickets can be purchased on the New Perspectives website.
