New Tuku Musical to explode in Harare

NORTON – A new musical by Tuku entitled Masanga Bodo will be staged at 7 Arts Theatre in Avondale, Harare, on the night of Friday 22 June 2012.

A cast of 25 artists is now in full rehearsal for the musical written by Tuku who is also the production’s artistic director.

The musical fuses diverse musical genres from Tuku’s own katekwe to urban grooves…gospel to traditional dance and contemporary Zimbabwean music.



Pauline Gunduza sings Nyarara Mwanawe consoling Tuku and wife Daisy in Masanga Bodo



Masanga Bodo, Tuku’s second musical in as many years, is not only showcasing the ingenuity how different musical styles and sounds can be connected into an extraordinary medley but also how varied rhythms can be cleverly synthesized in musical story-telling.

Live music, dance and drama are being employed to tell the story of Masanga Bodo whose plot examines what Tuku calls a socio-stereotype that events of daily life - good or bad - are a creation of coincidence. The nature of life is such that our individual existence and whatever comes our way is already pre-determined by mystical forces way beyond man’s understanding or control. That is how Masanga Bodo criticizes life.

This is Tuku’s second musical in as many years. In 2010 he staged Nzou NeMhuru which featured a cast of 25 artistes including his son Sam just before his tragic death in a road accident in Harare.

Artists featuring in the coming musical have been drawn from different musical genres and these include urban grooves’ Pauline Gunduza and XQ, Tapiwa Chibaya from Chegutu based gospel outfit Chiyedza Chevatendi, Jackie Nyamutumbu a marimba player, Selmor Mtukudzi, Pakare Paye based band Tsvete and Pakare Paye Arts Ensemble featuring Munya Matarutse and Donald Kanyuchi, Guruve Marimba Arts Ensemble, Tuku himself and wife Daisy.

Masanga Bodo features almost entirely Mtukudzi’s golden oldies from the 1970s and 1980s but there is a sprinkling of new songs such as Sarawoga off his forthcoming 61st album expected out this year.

Away from composing, performing, touring and humanitarian work, Tuku also produces films such as Ndichiri Mudiki and Sarawoga which has been featured on Zimbabwe television. - Shepherd Mutamba / tukumusik.com