Africa @ Paradise

A simple, frothy tale of how the local lad woos the village hottie, including a cheeky dance-off, the narrative of Africa, Heart And Soul is a little slight (it is of course a family show) but with performances this ebullient and heartfelt, it doesn’t really matter. The traditional Zimbabwean dance and music is dizzying, breathtaking, with the ballad between the would-be lovers Come To Me an exquisite, soothing highlight.

Behind the smiles though, there is a more serious statement within the Grassroots project: that of awareness, with emphasis on promoting healthcare, prevention of poverty and AIDS, as well as information on education and spreading tolerance and love.

“Love is an investment”, advises Grandpapa/the narrator, “you have to take time to make it work”. He chastises modern culture for placing too much importance on materialism, as illustrated in a gently satirical scene where the two leads swap their village garb for baggy pants and Rihanna threads - and this gets a massive response, perhaps chiming with older audience members bewildered by fashion’s fripperies.
A real crowd pleaser,  Africa, Heart And Soul proves you don’t have to bludgeon with controversy to get the point across.