A review of 50 Years of Solo Performing Art in Nigerian Theatre: 1966-2016 edited by Greg Mbajiorgu and Amanze Akpuda by Uzor Maxim Uzoatu.
THE commonplace belief is that drama or theatre, or a play, needs more than one actor because dialogue is the vehicle. Mere monologue without the necessary action is seen as being neither here nor there. But then, there can be a gifted actor who takes the stage by storm, playing multiple roles. The intellectual gravitas of the one-person actor – solo performance or monodrama – has been given pride in this original book ‘50 Years Of Solo Performing Art In Nigerian Theatre: 1966-2016’ edited by Greg Mbajiorgu and Amanze Akpuda.
The book’s lead editor, Greg Mbajiorgu, a resourceful actor, playwright, director, lecturer and solo performer, performed his first monodrama, ‘The Prime Minister’s Son’, in 1991 during his NYSC year. The co-editor, Amanze Akuda, the prolific professor of literature, theatre and film, remarkably conducts an insightful interview with Mbajiorgu in which scholarly kinship takes monodrama back to Ancient Greece’s poet-player Thespis who “stepped forward from the chorus in 534 BC” or even to Homeric recitations and performances that pre-dated Thespis.
In the African scheme of monodrama, ‘50 Years Of Solo Performing Art In Nigerian Theatre’ is dedicated to: “Emeritus Professor Wole Soyinka who mentored the first crop of post-independence solo theatrical exponents in Nigeria – Betty Okotie and Wale Ogunyemi; Athol Fugard whose play-within-a-play technique pointed to the possibility that a full-blown Afro-oriented monodrama could be created in our continent; Dr Ene Henshaw and Professor Kalu Uka who supported and midwifed Nigeria’s first mono dramatic experiment; Professor Dapo Adelugba who mentored and guided the emerging scholars of this radical art form and also supervised the first crop of post-graduate projects on the art of solo performance in Nigeria.”
The lack of attention paid to monodrama in Nigeria led to Greg Mbajiorgu being the celebrant and the fundraiser when he “muted the idea of organising a conference to mark the 48th anniversary of solo performing art in Nigeria” during his sabbatical year at Nigeria-Turkish Nile University, Abuja in 2014.
Mbajiorgu stresses: “With this Africa’s first major textbook on the art of Solo Performance being unveiled, we enter a new era in which academic neglect or disregard for the efforts of creative artistes must come to an end in our universities and elsewhere.”
It is remarkable that in his foreword to ‘50 Years Of Solo Performing Art In Nigerian Theatre’, Professor Amirikpa Oyigbenu quotes Peter Brooks’ classic ‘The Empty Space’ thusly: “I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage. A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre to be engaged.”
Although divided into nine sections, ‘50 Years Of Solo Performing Art In Nigerian Theatre’ can be read seamlessly. The work of the late solo performer Funsho Alabi is justly celebrated. There are rich interviews with Greg Mbajiorgu, Tunji Sotimirin, Tunde Awosanmi, Inua Ellams, Benedict Binebai, Akpos Adesi and Mbem Ijele. The renowned theatre scholars and practitioners on parade include Kalu Uka, Emeka Nwabueze, Ben Tomoloju, Chimalum Nwankwo, James Onyebuchi Ile, Ahmed Yerima, Ademola Dasylva, Chijioke Ngobili etc.
‘50 Years of Solo Performing Art In Nigerian Theatre: 1966-2016’ edited by Greg Mbajiorgu and Amanze Akpuda, is stellar ground-breaking work. It deserves celebration.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Revealed! Details Of South-West APC Leaders Meeting With Presidential Aspirants
MORE revelations have emerged about Friday’s meeting held by South-West leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with aspirants from the zone, whose main objective, was on how to avert a crisis that will create a fractured party as it prepares for primary on May 30 and 31, Sunday Tribune has reliably gathered…
Continuous Voters Registration: Bauchi declares Monday public holiday
Supreme Court Has Cleared Civil Servants To Participate In Politics, Falana Tells FG
Continuous Voters Registration: Bauchi declares Monday public holiday
NIGERIAN workers are constitutionally-free to participate in politics, lawyer, Mr Femi Falana has said. He was responding to the warning from the central government to civil servants to stay off politics…
Battle For New Alaafin Begins As Ruling Houses Insist On Producing Next Oba
and then