Tonight, the Ebonies are celebrating the life of legendary Jimmy Katumba in a new theatre production titled Garde-moi D’amour (Yongera Ologe) at Theatre La Bonita, starting at 7pm. Only songs by the late Katumba (pictured), who succumbed to cancer nine years ago, will take centre stage in Garde-moi D’amour, which is French for Keep Me Love.
Think of someone who is so much in love that they don’t even enjoy being in it because they are always scared of the day their partners jump ship. Now think of those love ballads by legendary Jimmy Katumba (RIP) aka Uganda’s Jim Reaves. That’s the picture the Ebonies are painting in this new musical piece.
“Jimmy Katumba’s songs speak for all life situations and all types of love; the starters, deep in love, the lost-in-love, the unsure, break-ups and make-ups. This will be his moment to re-live and relish.”
The live performance, 33-actor cast and luscious technical aspects Sam Bagenda talks about make this production as intoxicating as a tropical cocktail — and just as heady.
“For all his love-struck songs, we also know some of his songs navigated a dark undercurrent of love-gone-wrong and now our job is to ensure that the production balances the beautiful with the ugly,” added Bagenda.
Some scenes might stray a bit off the lyrics, according to Bagenda, as the director JWK Ssembajjwe is good with letting the audience linger on the romantic interludes and love-gone-wrong charged confrontations.
The play will continue to show on Saturday and Sunday, and for the subsequent weekends for Shs30,000 an ordinary seat and Shs40,000 VIP.
