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Into the World of Theatre
Filmmaking has its role to play but there is a certain extraordinary experience that
being in the same space as the performers on a stage and in theatre brings.
By Odenike Odetola
The theatre is a truly magical experience that isn’t quite easy to
articulate.
My introduction into an acting career was through theatre, and
looking back I can’t imagine what it would have meant not having
that foundation. I started out watching plays and it had a powerful
impact on me not only as a performer but as a human being.
The Theatre is one of the most ancient art forms and much like
several things that have survived centuries. It connects people
of every age, tribe, race, religion, and gender. Having a sense of
community is something that is inherently human in nature, and
theatre is an art form that creates that feeling for everyone involved
- from the creators and the performers to the audience.
Being in the same space as the performers and being a part of an
imaginary world that is right in front of you is an extraordinary
experience, and I am convinced that this is one of the reasons that
stage and theatre performances have stood the test of time.
Plays and theatre inspired a lot of what we do now in terms of
content. With technology and the media, you would think a film is
a replacement for the theatre. Content distribution is easier -from
the comfort of your home or pretty much anywhere, you can watch
almost anything. This is an amazing feat and a beautiful thing for
creators and their audience, but the experience of connecting with
family, friends, and making new connections by deliberately going
out to watch a play and socialize cannot be replaced by the advent of
Theatre can be quite expository
and often is a way through
which some societal and
political issues can be touched
on and explored because it isn’t
usually driven by a commercial
enterprise.
film and digital distribution. Theatre has an entire culture around it.
Theatre can be quite expository and often is a way through which
some societal and political issues can be touched on and explored
because it isn’t usually driven by a commercial enterprise. Early
playwrights like Hubert Ogunde, Yoruba Ronu, and many others,
employed this as a major tool for social communication.
In Nigeria, the theatre world has grown exponentially over the past
few years. With the help of a few practitioners who were consistent
and some big plays with better marketing, more and more people
have come to see the power that a live stage production holds. I have
had a few people ask me to keep them informed about upcoming
plays, after having the opportunity to experience one and realizing
what they were missing.
More performers have begun to collaborate, one-man/woman
shows are becoming more popular. Things are generally on the up
and up in the theatre in Nigeria.
With the new social space that we are in, we can easily create art for
the theatre through collaborations and innovative ideas. For instance,
The Lagos Theatre Festival, founded by the British council in 2013,
created a medium for a lot of story-tellers to tell their stories through
theatre in unconventional spaces. More recently, the Lagos Fringe,
which is another innovative theatre festival, is another platform
bringing creatives together. It has created a space for people to enjoy
theatre in a fun and new way, and still be in a relaxed environment
by making use of several unusually cool spaces in Lagos. The first
Lagos Fringe holds in November 2018 with Festival Director Kenneth
Uphopho and Producer Brenda Fashugba.
Beyond the shores, practitioners have toured different parts of the
world with Nigerian theatre. From plays by Wole Soyinka, Chinua
Achebe, Femi Osofisan, to more recent plays like Hear Word! Naija
Woman Talk true by Ifeoma Fafunwa; Lola Shoyeyin’s The Secret Lives
of Baba Segi’s wives; Saro the musical; Kakadu and many others, we
have given other societies a taste of our culture, heritage, and stories
through epic stage performances.
I believe that the glory days of stage and theatre is only just rising
upon us, and we are ushering it in with glee.
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