Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre brings literature to life

Shingirai Manyengavana

Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre (JMLT) is helping improve pass rates in literature through its theatre-in-education approach by inviting students to the venue.

This follows a presentation by students from Queen Elizabeth School.

The presentation was based on the book “I Will Wait” by Bertha Msora, which is part of their literature curriculum.

Jasen Mphepo, the director of the theatre, explained how theatre can help students understand and appreciate literature.

“Theatre mirrors and brings to life text through adaptation and playmaking, thus breathing a human element to the characters.

“It also helps to set, props, and costumes for a better appreciation by the audience.’’

Mphepo emphasized that theatre in education is beneficial for students preparing for their ordinary level exams.

“The project helps students to critically analyse devices, themes, characters, plot, and subplots.

“It also helps to engage in person with live characters from the book through watching the play.

“The project further helps students to have independent conversations amongst themselves regarding possible questions that could be presented in an exam,’’ said Mphepo.

Henry Mutekede, theatre in education coordinator at JMLT, said the project is to improve the pass rate for students.

“The primary objective is to improve the pass rate of literature in the O Level ZIMSEC syllabus.

“The project aims to foster critical thinking skills among students.

“Through guided workshops and discussions on exam-related questions, students are encouraged to analyse the texts, explore different perspectives, and develop their interpretations.

“This cultivates higher-order thinking skills and encourages students to think critically about the literary elements present in the set books,” said Mutekede.

Mrs. Chingombe, the literature teacher at Queen Elizabeth, expressed her views on the theatre in education approach.

“Theatre provides a unique learning experience for students.

“Watching the play allows them to emotionally engage with the characters and relate to the story on a deeper level,” she said.