Punchline after punchline, roast after roast, Millaz Productions‘ The Three Washkerteers lived up to the company’s reputation showcasing what most would say is their best comedic piece yet.
Directed by Abudu Shikhuyu and written by Sheldon Owinya and Ted Munene, The Three Washkerteers was a one-of-a-kind comic relief backed up with character variety.
SYNOPSIS
A scandal befalls a world record-breaking athlete famously known as Lightning (Vivian Nyawira), it is alleged that her racing shoes surpassed the recommended sole size by 20 millimeters, thus resulting in her breaking a record that was perceived unbreakable which led to further suspicion to a point of investigation. The news causes an uproar among Neti citizens, with one side defending Lightning and the other believing she is guilty but as the enraged radio journalist Shibe (Saumu Kombo) says, “In scandals like these, there is your side of the story and there is my side of the story, but at the end of the day, there’s the truth.”
Denise (Red Brenda), and Joe (Major Baraza), hospital cleaners and Lightning fanatics plan on their next side hustle “high profile” cleaning endeavor by stealing hospital cleaning supplies, something their supervisor (Ntinyari Karani) has been suspecting but the two are not that easy to take down. Willy (Michael Ndaka), the life of the party, joins Joe and Denise in cleaning as a form of community service, consequences of destroying seven vibandas by drinking and driving. Joe and Denise disclose their “high profile” cleaning business to Willy who joins the group, dubbing themselves, The Three Washkerteers right before a new job presents itself. 
Panicked, the three end up in the minister’s office with a body that appears to be Lightning’s, turns out their “high profile” cleaning job is to dispose of dead bodies of assassinated individuals. Lightning wakes up with a head injury startling the three, she gives an account of what happened to her, that the shoe scandal was all planned by the minister (Ken Aswani) for he manipulates athletes by influencing them into doping and other illegal practices to win more races in the betterment of his NGO and his bank account. At the height of the scandal, Lightning exposed the NGO on social media to be the ones who instructed her to race in those shoes, in turn, causing friction between her and the NGO.
In an attempt to consult the minister for assistance in clearing her name, she fails with the minister terminating her contract and dubbing the events as consequences of her actions since she couldn’t simply keep her mouth shut. Lightning then threatens the minister, revealing that she has files detailing the minister’s money laundering schemes but with simple persuasion, the minister gains control and knocks her out. Believing she’s dead, he calls the cleaners to clear up the mess.
The Washkerteers are in a dilemma in whether to finish the job and kill her or buy her story and help her in exposing the minister, they go with the latter. In an attempt to escape the office to avoid the security guard (Brian Gaitan), they tie up curtains to jump from the window with Lightning going first only to mistakenly fall seven floors down. The Washkerteers dispose of the body and then proceed to claim their payment from the minister who is being interviewed by a reporter, Mugambi (Keith Maina), on Lightning’s scandal and his ties to it. 
A commotion arises between the minister and the Washkerteers regarding payment since CCTV cameras were present during the disposal of the body, with much being uncovered to Mugambi who audio records everything. Amidst the chaos, a critically injured, gun-wielding Lightning enters the office ordering the minister to admit to his crimes and when he does so, all information is captured by Mugambi, Lightning reveals that the gun was empty.
The revelation amounts to nothing, the minister recruits other athletes to his scheme, Joe and Denise continue working at the hospital and Willy joins them once again in community service as a result of damaging more vibandas. 
Casting and Characterization
No-nonsense leader, irresponsible party enthusiast, and a fanatic are three traits from the trio that kept the piece wholesome and worth sitting through. Red Brenda, Major Baraza, and Michael Ndaka portrayed the trio in a masterful way depicting different variations of their characters each one having a different taste and unique trait that defines them. Manipulation, corruption, murder, lust and deceit, are just some of the themes brought forth from Ken Aswani’s depiction of the Minister, other than his hilarious laugh that cracked up the audience every time he busted it out. Vivian Nyawira emanated an innocent demeanor of her character, Lightning, depicting the level of exploitation some of the individuals who are considered national treasures go through in the hands of the ones above them. Performing alongside them were Keith Maina, Saumu Kombo, Ntinyari Karani, Sophia Masenza, Brian Gaitan, and Valdano Vincent who showcased breathtaking performances.
Breaking the fourth wall, punchlines and character roasts, these are just some of the elements that kept the audience glued all through, which Millaz Productions have mastered over the years. The political message was clear and easy to interpret.
How did the minister and the Washkerteers get away with their actions? What happened to Lightning afterward, did she continue advocating for upcoming athletes or did she go on to live a normal life outside of athletics and fame? these are the questions I wish would have been answered in the play since resonance with the characters was inevitable.
Although fictional, Lightning’s story left me curious about whether some of the doping and other occurrences of the kind in the sports sector tie into what was depicted in the piece. With Mugambi’s report amounting to nothing, is the media losing its power in exposing matters that tie into big offices?
To enact the upbeat feel of the piece, perky-toned music was incorporated orally, directed by Brian Aseli with a soulful team namely, Gilda Amondi, Angela Sharon, Nyawino Ann, Jorie Samoka, Brenda Murimi, Henriques Katema and Andrew Ndeda. Motion artist Maulid Owino showcased soul-stirring motion performances adding emotional depth to the piece. Behind the stage was a dedicated crew namely, Ann Nyawino (Costume Designer), Anthony Simbi (LIghts), DJ Anxious (Sound), Phil Collins Otuke (Videographer), Mutia Gitau (Projecting), Allan Otieno, Tau and Valdano Vincent as the set designers. 
Produced by Clare Wahome, The Three Washkerteers is one for the books. An outstanding cast, a unique story, I for one cannot wait to see what they have in store for us on August 4th and 5th, yes, those are the dates for their next production and the expectations are high. Stay posted by following them on their social media platforms via the links below.
https://www.instagram.com/millazproductionskenya/ Facebook
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