FESTINA and Ofeimun’s Stolen Beauty
THE power of live theatre to capture human experiences was re-emphasised weekend with a play “Nigeria the beautiful” which heralded the 2011 Festival of Nigerian Plays, FESTINA, at the National Arts Theatre, Lagos.
IN historical perspective, the play, written by one of Nigeria’s indomitable social activists, poets and literary critics, Odia Ofeimun and directed by Felix Okolo, a renowned theatre director, x-rays the story of Nigeria from Lord Frederick Lugard, the first colonial Governor General to the current president Goodluck Jonathan.
The play also, vividly looked back in retrospect at the political struggles of the colonial era which transited to the dark age of the military regimes, which gradually gave way to the emergence and institutionalisation of Nigeria’s present democracy.
*A scene from the play
Odia’s dramaturgy as well, makes a statement on the stunning beauty of Nigeria’s geography, its people and their languages, as well as its rich cultural heritage which he undoubtedly presented as the unbroken chord that binds the nation.
“Nigeria is very beautiful, not only in physical terms. Nigeria is beautiful in its diversities and differences. There is certainly something in Nigeria that if it works, the other countries outside will come to Nigeria to learn.” Odia explained.
Interestingly, the play, “Nigeria the beautiful” performed by cast drawn from the Hornbill House of Arts told the Nigerian story not only through stage movements and speeches but also through symbolic and rich cultural dances which punctuated stage activities.
The play, again did not move away from the theatricality of the realist movement, where life is presented on stage as it should be, but also reflected in the aesthetics of costumes and make-ups worn by the actors a visually impactful and appealing theatrical production that satisfied the yearnings of the audience.
According to the playwright Ofeimun, “the play is part of the romance of looking homewards from far away Britain. It does not appear to fit the rude reality of everyday politics in Nigeria or the logic of a living space that has more languages and cultures than any other country in the word.”
Proper organisation
Ofeimun, who was one time Chairman of the Editorial Board of The News/Tempo added that “It is a democracy that can be made better. Only organized people benefit from democracy. Nigeria is still not properly organized.
Our Nigeria needs to build proper political parties and turn the existing ones into real parties or discard them if they are not functioning. There is need for a political party that function on the basis of clear ideas from which the people can identify.”
However, the play’s director, Felix Okolo, revealed that the play was an expensive one considering the cost involved in its production. He added that ”The costumes and make-ups are symbolic as they give wider meaning to the interpretation of the play. I don’t have a particular directorial concept. I based the production on every day life on stage.”
National President of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners, (NANTAP), Greg Odutayo also explained that “Rising to the goals and objectives for which FESTINA was initiated, it is our intention to activate the festival in furtherance of the reawakening and sustenance of live theatre.
Our choice of the six performing companies is also deliberate as it underscores their antecedence as regular and constant theatre arts practitioners whose arts have been consistent and potent.
“Apart from Nigeria the beautiful, other plays penciled down for the festival are :”The Waiting Room”, written and directed by Wole Oguntokun , which will be performed by Renegade Theatre, “The Golden Fleas”, written and directed by Segun Adefila to be performed by The Crown Troupe of Africa , “Wat’s Dis all About and “The Wives”, written and directed by Toyin Oshinaike.
