UNIVERSITY OF MALAWI

SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES

TO : MISS ROSELYN DZANJA

FROM : TRINITY BALALIKA

REGISTRATION NO : BAH/62/20

COURSE CODE : 312

COURSE TITLE : MALAWIAN THEATRE AND DRAMA

ASSIGNMENT NO :3

QUESTION : ANALYSIS OF THE MALAWIAN PLAY’ ’CHECK

IT OUT’’

DUE DATE : MONDAY, 20 NOVEMBER 2023

 ANALYZING THE PLAY CHECK IT OUT

Check it out is one of the plays written by Dundunzu Chisiza Junior .According to Mangalasi
this is the first stage play that talks about HIV and AID’s. (Mangalasi.(2001). Du Chisiza Jr., the
last of the four children born to the prominent Malawian political economist Dunduzu Chisiza,
was born in 1963, a few months after his father was killed in a car crash on the Zomba-Blantyre
road. Kanyama Chiume, a Cabinet Minister in the Banda government, wrote that Chisiza Sr.,
who had attained University education in Economics at Birmingham University in the 1950s, had
already worked as a civil servant under the British colonial administration, and had written a
monograph on African economics, was considered an early victim of Banda, as Banda
established a dictatorship in Malawi . Chisiza Jr. attended various primary schools in Blantyre
one of them being Chichiri Secondary School in 1977. (Mangalasi.(2001). He wrote his plays
with literary standards in mind, and incorporated elements which he thought would appeal to his
audience .One of his plays is check it out. This essay analyses this play by looking at it’s type,
stage of Malawian drama it was written, how it isa Malawian drama based on a scene.

To begin with is a summary of the play check it out. Mangalasi. M 2001 states that Check It Out
is about a young man, Max Vukuza, whose father, Dr. Jim Michael Vukuza, works as a Manager
of a firm in Blantyre. Max calls himself ‘Doctor’, and girls from all walks of life vie for his
attention.Mrs. Vukuza is a health fanatic who regularly drags the whole family to Dr. Mfani’s
surgery for medical checkups. Giving results after tests are carried on the family, Dr. Mfani
confirms that all are still enjoying a healthy life except for Max who is diagnosed as being HIV
positive. Mrs. Vukuza moves Max to the guest house fearing that the disease might spread to the
other members of the family(Mangalasi,M.(2001).. Max is kept away from the rest and he
becomes depressed by the isolation. One day, Max’s sister, Blessings, visits and cheers him up
with a youthful chant in which Max’s charm for girls is praised. Seemingly comforted, Max asks
Blessings to accompany him to his favourite spots in Blantyre city. When Blessings leaves to
dress up, Max becomes overwhelmed with memories of his past free-wheeling life, now taken
away by the isolation. After dressing up in ‘dazzling’ clothes, he fetches a rope and hangs
himself. Hearing the news of the son’s death, Jim fails to contain himself and he commits
suicide. Though not stated, the death of the father ends the happiness and material wealth
enjoyed by the family.

Additionally, the play type is tragedy .According to Aristotle tragedy is the imitation of an action
that is serious ,complete and of a certain magnitude that’s disastrous and sorrowful. It is with
saying that check it out depicts a social realism of societal concerns of sad issues like HIV and
Aids that is actually killing people in Malawi. This play illustrates this tragedy as the protagonist
commits suicide after isolation have been tested HIV positive.

Of equal importance is the stage of drama the play belongs to. The play was staged in 1988 ,the
time drama became rampant(Mangalasi,M 2001).As they was opposition from playwrights, poets
against the Banda regime .This was slowing down Kamuzu’s power over the theatre practitioners
.However some plays were still banned during that time since they were regarded to be against
Dr.Hasting Kamuzu Banda’s rule.For instance closure of French cultural centre and banning
Chisiza’s play of the deceased attack(Mangalasi,M.(2001).

Lastly is evidence of how one of the scenes in the play is Malawi based and how l can direct it to
suit Malawi. Firstly, the scene was written by a Malawian playwright, Dunduzu Chisiza
(Mangalasi,M.(2001).For instance, Scene five a tense moment between Max and Cleo, the
girlfriend. She confronts Max about his state before breaking off the affair. The scene targets
HIV and youth that was a current topic that year 1988(Mangalasi,M.(2001).I would direct it by
introducing Malawian setting of the scene, it would take place at Nyabadwe lodge in Blantyre
we're the girl friend of Max would end the relationship.The dialogue would occur in Chichewa
without changing the main dialogue in the play.Lastly, l would include tragic Malawian songs on
this scene after Max commits suicide.

In conclusion ,the play of check it out undergoes a tragic flow as the protagonist Max with
excessive pride meets his tragic end as he contracts HIV and AIDs .This play was staged in 1988
when theatre was rampant so as HIV and Aids. As provided, it is a Malawian play as it was
written by a Malawian playwright and composes related incidents of HIV and AID’s that
happened in 1988.
REFERENCES

Magalasi, M. (2001) “Malawian Theatre at the Crossroads: Developmental

Paradigms and Underdevelopment of Stage Drama in Malawi”, Journal of

Humanities, 17-42

Chisiza Jr, Du. 1993 “Check It Out”, In Democracy Boulevard and Other Plays,

Blantyre: Wakhumbata Ensemble Theatre