News
Two Gents at Theatre Royal Bath this Christmas!
No Comments »December 9th, 2009 by Arne
It has been a mammoth tour of Vakomana VaViri Ve Zimbabwe or Two Gentlemen of Verona, internationally we have been received enthusiastically by diverse audiences in Zimbabwe, South Africa and Germany. In the UK we have not only performed in London but also around the country in over 44 venues ranging from the impressive city theatres (how about the Contact in Manchester? Or the mighty Aberystwyth Arts Centre?) to the rural (our lucky escape before the floods hit Orton, Keswick and Cockermouth in deepest Cumbria), South to North, East to West we have done them all and have a mile-ridden battered car to show for it. Almost five thousand people have seen this ever evolving and “seriously entertaining show” (that’s not us but the Observer on Sunday no less!). Next year, we go truly international as we base ourselves in the sunshine city that is Harare and take on Spain and Poland. Exciting, non? For now, we are feeling festive, so come and join us as we take our final bow of 2009 in the beautiful setting of the Ustinov at the Theatre Royal, Bath.
We are going on tour!
4 Comments »September 17th, 2009 by Arne
With generous support from the Oval House Theatre, we have just started rehearsals on our London hit Two Gentlemen of Verona or Vakomana Vaviri ve Zimbabwe. We kick off our tour on September 29 at The Watermill, Newbury where it continues through to 3rd October.
The tour dates are as follows:
Two Gents on the BBC!
No Comments »July 28th, 2009 by Arne
Listen to Denton and Tonderai reflect on our time in Zimbabwe on the BBC World Service!
The interview includes a clip from our new play Magetsi.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/arts/2009/03/000000_strand_tuesday.shtml
Magetsi
No Comments »July 8th, 2009 by Arne
After inflation and dollarization, mass exoduses and a newly constituted Government of National Unity, two men in overalls try to make sense of it all using nothing but a bucket and an old piece of carpet.
A newly returned woman’s search for a partner in Harare, a grandmothers campaign for electricity and lessons on how best to negotiate a bucket bath. This revolving disc of characters and situations unearths the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans, whose stories will never make it to the press.
.This is it. This is Harare eclectic and electric. This is Magetsi. Written and performed by Two Gents Productions.
[Download our Marketing Pack here!]
Two Gents at the British Library
No Comments »July 6th, 2009 by Arne
This is us slaving away on our laptops to bring you a brand new series of performances! Confirming venues and dates, getting press releases, marketing packs, invites out and ready to go. Watch this space for performance schedules and the like!!!
Our Trip Home.
No Comments »July 2nd, 2009 by Denton
I guess we should start off by apologising for being truly awful at updating our blog, the truth of the matter is that Zimbabwe simply ended up being too much fun. Between performing at HIFA, devising a new show, having High Tea at the Meikles and Tonderai breaking his arm, blogging just got abandoned. Tonderai’s broken his arm by the way. To be fair, the speed of Zimbabwean internet is measured in donkey strides per year, and that’s the broadband.
We travelled to Zimbabwe armed with horror stories about how bad ‘The situation’, was. It gave us great pleasure then to have an experience that was quite contrary to expectations.
If you don’t mind the occasional power cut and a bucket bath or two, there is a lot going for Zimbabwe at the moment. We found a resurgent economy, buoyed by the adoption of the US dollar and a people full of such strong will and hope it was infectious.
News from Harare April 24, 2009
No Comments »May 3rd, 2009 by Arne
We did it! Two Gents Productions has landed in Zimbabwe. After a lovely farewell dinner with Tonderai’s mom we embarked on our epic journey South. Even though we were only allowed 20 kg of luggage each (for a 7 week trip!), we managed to squeeze in our costume and trunk at no extra cost. First our flight was delayed then it wasn’t then it was again, so that we felt slightly rushed but were then kept waiting without being able to buy the duty free products we had planned to bring as gifts to Zimbabwe.
The flight over Joburg went relatively smoothly and we all made it through immigrations without any hassle. Tonderai and Arne found their luggage waiting for them, whereas Denton’s was nowhere to be found, along with the trunk. Where Arne was welcomed into the country with open arms and not even a sideways glance at his (fashionable and lightweight :-) luggage, Tonderai’s (massive!) suitcase was meticulously scrutinized by a grumpy customs officer. Apparently she did not like the look of the wigs he was sneaking into the country for his grandmother. Drawing on his skills as an actor Tonderai nonetheless managed to wangle himself out of this tight spot and we were good to go.
Harare International Festival of the Arts
1 Comment »April 11th, 2009 by Arne
Vakomana Va Viri Ve Zimbabwe is going to Zimbabwe where it shall be performed at the Harare International Festival of the Arts (28th April - 3rd May).
HIFA is an annual multi-cultural celebration of the best of Zimbabwean arts and culture while also facilitating collaborative projects with regional and international artists and performers. The artistic interchange with international artists is an essential component of the Festival as it is guarantees the artistic and technical growth of both Zimbabwean artists and audiences.
View our trailer on UK Arts International
1 Comment »March 9th, 2009 by Arne
Our new trailer is now online at UK Arts International. Go check it out!
Two Gents actors attend awards ceremony
No Comments »November 14th, 2008 by Arne
Denton and Tonderai have been invited to an awards cermony at the O2 Arena on November 14 in recognition of their work in the theatre.