Lucian Gabriel Wiina Msamati, of Tanzanian descent, was born in the UK on the 5th of March 1976. Via the Middle East (yes…it’s true) and Tanzania, the Msamati clan (or at least this particular branch of it) settled, for the next decade or so, in Zimbabwe in 1984. When it came time to up and leave again, Wiina stayed on to complete his A Level exams at the prestigious Prince Edward High School in Harare. He has been a bit of a nomadic soul ever since, calling many places ‘home.’- though Zimbabwe ‘the land in which I became a man’ (oh, how romantic!) shares high honours with Tanzania ‘The land of my blood and my heritage’. There is also a little bit of Malawi ‘because that’s where my parent’s and younger siblings are’ and a bit of England ‘because it says so on my passport; and that’s where Liverpool Football Club is’
High school would see the fruition of his passion for performance. It was here that he met future fellow ‘edgers’ Craig and Gavin Peter, Zane E. Lucas and the late Shaheen Jassat. In early 1995, Wiina was accepted into the University of Zimbabwe to read a joint Honours Degree in French and Portuguese; on the flip side of the coin a few months earlier, in late 1994 (busking on a pavement); Over the Edge Theatre Company was born. Early highlights include the lead role in Macbeth (1995), John Hale in The Crucible (1996) and what many considered Over the Edge’s breakout hit: the Zimbabwean version of The Complete Works of Shakespeare abridged (1997). This was the first time on record that a professional company from Africa had performed this piece.
It is in Over the Edge’s original work, their creative root, where Wiina finds voice for his other passion: writing. Highlights, as co-writer or head writer include: Born African (2001-); Eternal Peace Asylum (1999); The Anti-panto and The Anti-panto 0.5. Wiina has also written and produced for radio. He annoyed and amused radio listeners in Zimbabwe with the anarchic, Café Radio (1999-2001) and was guest presenter on several other well known radio shows. In 2003 Wiina had the honour of being named head adjudicator for the BBC African Playwright’s Season.
Screen credits include: Lumumba (1999) directed by Raoul Peck; Heads & Tales by Heeten Bhagat (2002); Dr Juju (2000) and Legend of the Sky Kingdom (voice only; 2002) both by Roger Hawkins.
Recent stage credits include Twelfth Night (2000-01) for which he earned a ‘Best Actor’ nomination at the 2000 Edinburgh Festival Fringe; Taming of the Shrew (2002-2003) also as director; Robinson lernt Tanzen (2002) at the Winterhude fahrhaus in Hamburg, Germany (Yes; in German!)
Wiina under the first name ‘Lucian’ (different; just as sexy) appeared in Sir Antony Sher’s first penned stage play, ID (2003) at the prestigious Almeida Theatre in London. He is also set to appear at The National Theatre in Eugene O’Neill’s Mourning becomes Electra starring Helen Mirren.
Wiina to this day, still battles with an unfounded and irrational fear of camels.
Important information about Wiina (Lucian to the unitiated)
Some things you should know about Wiina
1. Wiina speaks English, Swahili, French, a little Shona, some Portuguese, some Chichewa, some Chiyua, and is trying to learn Ndebele. Everything comes out sounding like Spanish.
2. Wiina has 2 brothers and a sister (who is the most beautiful thing on earth. They are all taller than him, even though he is the oldest.
3. Wiina finds goats, sheep, chickens and horses very funny. As he does third world debt and democracy.
4. He is a life long fan of Liverpool football club.
5. Wiina is dead sexy.
5? Wiina writes Poetry whilst darning hosiery. Just like the Welsh Rugby Team.
6. See ‘5’.
7. See ‘6’.
7? Wiina is just a genius. A short, rude one.
8. Wiina enjoys cooking.
9. Wiina enjoys hunting, fishing, hang-gliding and making nuclear devices.
10. Wiina loves Stevie Wonder. Stevie Wonder is a genius.
11. Wiina was once a Secret Agent.
12. Wiina wrote “Pride and Prejudice”.
13. Wiina is dead sexy.
14. See ‘13’.
14? I drink therefore am drunk.
15. See ‘14’.
15? Hippopotamus.
16. Wiina is a life long devotee of Wole Soyinka, Ngugi Wa Thiongo, Dambudzo Marachera, Jean-Paul Sartre, Anne Bogart, Ferdinand Oyono and Zippy from ‘Rainbow’.
17. Wiina plans one day to grow dreadlocks. From his armpits.
18. Wiina was once a promising footballer. At age 12, however, he suffered a dislocated hip and fractured femur head. He still has the scar and one of his legs is “screw – kicked”.
