ABSTRACT
Amakhosi Theatre started in 1980 in Nguboyenja Township to give children and young people below the age of 16 years an opportunity to develop and showcase their creative talents. It was founded within a unique historical and cultural context. In this context, Amakhosi emerged as a strand of revolutionary Black Nationalist theatre, critical not only of colonialism, but also of the post-independence leadership, which was hypocritical and corrupt. In the play Workshop Negative in 1986, Amakhosi showed its willingness from early on to collaborate across the divide, in this case with Chris Hurst, a white Zimbabwean actor from the exclusive white theatre tradition. In 1995, Amakhosi established Zimbabwe's first privately owned Cultural Centre located in the boundaries of the city centre and the townships, now popularly known as Amakhosi Cultural Centre (ACC). Amakhosi moved to the new premises in 1997 and established a full arts business operation at the Centre in 1998.
