Black Mamba at the National Theatre

As part of its educational moves, the National Theatre will this weekend (Friday February 12-14) stage a production of the late Prof. John Ruganda's famous play, Black Mamba, at 3pm. Entrance free is 3,000 shillings for students and 5,000 for the rest.

 A sobering account of the things people do in the pursuit of "prosperity and a better life," Black Mamba is on the O-Level Literature Syllabus and is arguably Uganda 's finest works of literature in the drama genre. 

 The performance of this play also carries significant symbolism for all enthusiasts of Ugandan theatre as they remember the golden era of Ugandan theatre and Prof. Ruganda for his gripping writing style and illumination of social concerns in his works such as The Burdens (1972), Black Mamba (1973), The Floods (1980), Covenant with Death (1973), Music Without Tears (1982), Echoes of Silence (1986) and Telling the Truth Laughingly (1993) not forgetting his prolific poetry. 

 Ruganda's influence was so tangible that it would not be farfetched to call him the Henrik Isben of Uganda . During a 2008 Memorial Lecture in his honour at the University of Limpopo, where he taught before his death in 2007, he was described by Prof. Taban Lo Liyong as "an international and revered playwright, poet, actor and a theatre director; his work is a stone that will live for ever."

 At a time when Ugandan theatre is limping following fierce blows of competition from the music and movie industry, the staging of Black Mamba at the National Theatre is expected to stir up creative figures not only to keep the spirit of Ruganda alive but to churn out formidable manuscripts that shun evil but advocate for values in society while providing rich stage entertainment as well.