Draft:Shaheen Jassat

One of last photos of Shaheen on holiday to Nyanga.

History One of the Founders of Over the Edge was 18 year-old Shaheen Jassat. On 29 October 1994, a group of friends put on a theatrical performance for the first time at a street festival in Harare, Zimbabwe. This group would become Over the Edge, one of Zimbabwe’s most prolific and successful, independent theatre companies. Shaheen’s  creativity and talent as an actor, scriptwriter and producer lead the group to new and more ambitious work with each production. Among his many visions was:

• to write and produce a full-length performance at Zimbabwe’s most famous, but formerly segregated Theatre;
• to sell out the largest theatre in the country with an original work;
• and to tour the country with a theatre production.

Over The Edge was groundbreaking. It was especially noted for its racial diversity having more or less equal ratios of black, white, coloured and part Asian members. Shaheen’s vision for increasing the audience base outside of the existing largely white theatre audience in Harare met great success as audiences as mixed as the group themselves flooded the theatres. Although Over the Edge had no formal artistic director, Shaheen was largely responsible for pushing the group to challenge new areas in the Arts, especially ones that were previously inaccessible or unexplored. His script writing featured original, comic political satires. There were no boundaries that he felt could and should not be broken, using the Arts to open conversations and encouraging integration for a society just starting to understand itself post independence.

Shaheen was a product of the first integrated schooling system and his most powerful work was written at the time the Zimbabwe government's first failures were coming to light.

Joy TV

In 1996, he co-wrote and co-produced (along with the now larger Over the Edge troupe), a full length TV programme for Zimbabwe’s first independent television channel, Joy TV. At that time, all television programming was broadcast only via the government controlled TV station. The satirical sketches and catchy comedy guaranteed a massive first audience for the channel. Government oppression was swift and the channel was closed.

Anti-Pantos and classic theatre

This spurred Jassat and Over The Edge to write more challenging work, producing the first of their ‘Anti-Panto’ Pantomimes. The direct references to the unspoken government oppression and control drew in massive audiences in need of an outlet for the mix of emotions and feelings about their current reality--good and bad. Equally important, because he was mixed race, and also because of the racial diversity of Over the Edge, he allowed people to have a conversation about the status quo right outside of the theatre after each performance.

Shaheen was highly influential with the decision of the troupe to rise to the challenge to take on theatre’s great Masters, like Moliere, Arthur Miller and William Shakespeare. They brought the unique Over the Edge creativity to these famous plays, adding a grounding in Africa and often throwing the rule book out to make them connect to the audience. Again, the success was incredible, with an added new vision to connect with a school going younger audience, helping them find a connection with these plays, some of which were academic texts they had to study and engender a lasting love for the Arts in them.

Solo Career

Shaheen pursued his own solo career and became one of Zimbabwe’s first professional actors to gain international success, opening doors for a stream of actors, who would follow and share the country’s rich artistic talent on global stage and screens.

He played a role the mini series, Heat of the Sun, as the recurring character Sub Inspector Singh.

Death

Shaheen died in a tragic car accident in 1999. He was awarded his Law Degree posthumously as he was three months away from graduating. His death stunned the country and catalysed Over the Edge creatively, and they went on to achieve extraordinary international recognition, touring the world, sharing their unique creativity that was always connected back to Africa and their original social commentary.

Legacy

Over the Edge, his family, his many friends and fans often wonder what Shaheen would have achieved if he was still alive. He would without doubt have achieved his dream of becoming a globally recognised star. As for the impact he would have had on the world, the possibilities are endless for this highly intelligent creative genius. However, a couple of clues lie in his work till his death: in his ability to see no limits for what could and should be achieved; in his fearless and honest challenge to oppression and social injustice; in his extraordinary vision for what was possible and in his unique charisma that could connect with every single person in his audience, as they are drawn towards his irresistible glow. He would have continued to make great social impact using the Arts to change the conversations and turn dreams into treasures.

Awards

Shaheen won many awards in his career, including from the National Institute of Allied Arts, and Reps Theatre The Shaheen Jassat Award is given in his name.

Other awards are given at Prince Edward High School, which Shaheen attended.

A new scholarship will be inaugurated at African Leadership Academy offered by Danai Gurira and Yujeja Peng in 2025.

References

https://www.pindula.co.zw/Joy_TV/

BBC World Service Artbeat

https://www.filmweb.pl/serial/Heat+of+the+Sun-1998-140174/cast/actors

https://www.africanleadershipacademy.org/