In 1890, Cecil John Rhodes and his charter company completed the colonialization of an unknown, little, landlocked yet very resourceful country in Southern Africa, making it part of the British Empire and naming it ‘Rhodesia’.
Over the next ninety years, much like in any other colony around the world, the Rhodesian government created and developed an environment that was inclusively conducive for the White Man, all at the expense of the Black one. While the Whites blossomed in Rhodesia, for the Blacks, dreams were deferred, ambitions were impeded and growth was stunted, least until the winds of change finally blew and Independence came in 1980.
The arrival of Majority Rule simultaneously pronounced the death of ‘Rhodesia’ and the birth of ‘Zimbabwe’, and all of sudden the Black Man’s dreams became achievable. He could now own a house in the suburbs, enroll his kids at the best schools in the country all while driving the latest Peugeot….or so he thought.
What was supposed to be a paradise for Zimbabweans would soon turn into a living hell, with countless economic, socio-political crisis’ engulfing a country that was once the breadbasket of Southern Africa. In the forty-five years that Zimbabwe has been independent, it’s economy has declined almost to the state of non-repair. Unemployment is soaring over ninety percent, inflation is hyper with the country having to adopt the United States dollar back in 2009, more than half of the population willows in poverty, and the country is one of the poorest in the world. Corruption, political violence, drug abuse and a rise in crime are some of the problems that continue to hinder Zimbabwe’s development, literally making it Gotham City and leading to high emigration numbers. You know things are bad when you can find a Zimbabwean community all the way out in Kazakhstan.
FIRST STREET is a throwback dark comedy series set in Zimbabwe’s capital (Harare) 1987, seven years after Independence and it follows the misadventures of three young men as they navigate the opportunities and surprises of life in a country whose potential is beginning to diminish despite being free from the shackles of colonialism.
Maddo, Leo and C.J are three best friends with different backgrounds, who share a passion for Bob Marley’s music, sorghum beer, football and most importantly, a strong sense of freedom, having grown up in the restrictive colonial state of Rhodesia. When Independence is achieved On 18 April 1980, these three attend the historic Bob Marley concert where they are inspired to declare the goals they want to achieve in a ‘New Zimbabwe’.
The story mains seven years pass later, giving insight into what the three have become, which is not exactly what they had wished for back at that Bob Marley concert.
Maddo, who is the lead, finds himself living a life of strife and hardship, having to jump from one job to another. At the beginning of the story, Maddo works as a driver for his uncle’s taxi fleet but after a bad day that caps off with him being cheated out of his rightful wages, he quits his job and vows to fulfill the promise he made to himself seven years ago. With involvement from his two best friends, who also carry baggage of their own, he goes on adventures fueled with the motivation to get rich quick that usually end up backfiring.
While at first the story may look and sound like an adaptation of ‘Ed, Edd n Eddy’ where the main characters never seem to catch a break, First Street, through its complex characters, will also explore themes of fatherhood, relationship insecurity, ethnicity tensions of the Shona-Ndebele, society pressures, the nature of the Zimbabwean city as well as the Zimbabwean culture. Each adventure that the gang goes on is actually a mirror of what the ordinary Zimbabwean is currently embarking in order to feed himself and his family: dealing in counterfeit products, preloved clothing, gambling, city scams and so much more, all while draping it in the timeliness feel of the 1980’s. In short, it’s an exploration of how today’s hustling would look like in 1987, surrounded by 1987 people, 1987 technology and 1987 conditions.
The story is also an exploration of each of the three main characters background, motivations and obstacles. Aside from Maddo’s quest of searching for purpose, time will be dedicated to telling the story of Leo and his inferiority complex and C.J’s lust addiction.
First Street is mainly a story about growth and persistence in tough times and the exploration of how life as a Zimbabwean is like, through the eyes and stories of complex and memorable characters.
First Street exists to provide dramatic insight and comic relief to what went wrong with Zimbabwe after Independence as well as reliving and praising the nostalgic feel of a period where things were still ‘alright’ for the ordinary Zimbabwean.
First Street will be the realest television series to ever come out of this teapot shaped country.