‘Dreams don’t die, they just fly forward.’
The seldom-told tale of the Zambian space race attempt is brought to life with theatre, song and circus thrills by Circus Zambia…
Schoolteacher Edward Mukuka Nkoloso had a dream to rival the US and USSR; he would put Zambians on the moon for the first time to celebrate the country’s independence from Britain. His government and international media were sceptical, but still he assembled a ragtag team for training and it would be an uphill struggle to say the least.
Narrated through a framing device of two teenagers discovering the abandoned space institute, the story is punctuated by tremendous circus sections full of human pyramids and acrobatics. The lead female astronaut spinning on a rope among twinkling galaxies is particularly mesmerising!
The project happening as Zambia moves from colonial rule offers a chance to examine attitudes to the Afronauts from a foreign perspective; they’re described in vintage BBC footage as ‘crackpots’, as their improvised training continues regardless. There’s lots of humour- the cats being selected to travel with the crew was a hit with the kids – but the underlying message of persevering is serious and deeply moving.
Afronauts is a real ode to courage and determination, told with heart and humour and perfect for the whole family.
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Afronauts is at Underbelly George Square until 31 Aug at 13:55