characteristics of african theatre

Intended as comic entertainment, blackface minstrelsy was performed by a group of white minstrels (traveling musicians) with black-painted faces, whose material caricatured the singing and dancing of slaves. The actors must be constantly aware of the power of their gestures and voices. In this sense, early Africa offers an example of perfect harmony between theatre and society. He established the Black Arts Repertory Theatre in Harlem in 1965 and inspired playwright Ed Bullins and others seeking to create a strong Black aesthetic in American theatre. The countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Sierra Leone (and to a lesser extent Gambia), in addition to the English-speaking areas of Cameroon, have produced a rich theater since their political independence. Unlike modern plays, traditional rituals and tales are not written by individual playwrights. Many performers and writers started experimenting with improvisational formats, such as the play Woza Albert! The minstrel shows of the early 19th century are believed by some to be the roots of Black theatre, but they initially were written by whites, acted by whites in blackface, and performed for white audiences. Copyright 2021 Ousmane Diakhat and Hansel Ndumbe EyohCritical Stages/Scnes critiques e-ISSN:2409-7411. A strong radical voiceboth in content and in formwas established by, among others, playwrights such as Bode Sowande (Farewell to Babylon, 1979; Flamingo, 1986; Tornadoes Full of Dreams, 1990); Olu Obafemi (Nights of a Mystical Beast, 1986; Suicide Syndrome, 1987; Naira Has No Gender, 1993); Tunde Fatunde (No Food, No Country, 1985; Oga Na Tief-Man, 1986); and Segun Oyekunle (Katakata for Sofahead, 1983). What does an exclusively Black space look like? That is to say, if they could do these high-cultural forms, then the ways in which we are justifying slavery or Black second-class citizenship that goes out the window.. A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. Their functions within the religion or in different practices within the community represent not only a means for political expression, but also a vehicle for the survival of tradition. The African Company Presents Richard the Third. Lofty speech, such as verse or poetry, is often incorporated in dialogue. Sundays were ripe for entertainment, with Black New Yorkers fresh out of church hungry for leisure. Indeed, whatever the type of space, the African actor will almost always recreate, by gesture or word, the traditional circular space. Anyone can read what you share. Duro Ladipo was also an accomplished Yoruba opera artist, with sophisticated theatrical re-creations of Yoruba history and myth (Oba Koso, 1963, and Oba Waja, 1964) and an extraordinary version of Austrian author Hugo von Hofmannsthals Jedermann (Everyman), called Eda (1970). They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Even in the west, the word theatre often denotes very different realities, and what is meant by theatre in one country is not always the same as what is meant in others. L. Losambe, Devi Sarinjeive. The African Theatre was an African-American acting troupe in New York City established by William Henry Brown (also known as William Alexander Brown) in the 1820s. Foriwa (first performed 1962) and Edufa (first performed 1962) dealt with political issues relevant to the challenges of independence. Onwuemes early plays were based on domestic incidents, but she became more adventurous with political allegories (The Desert Encroaches, 1985; Ban Empty Barn, 1986), andafter a move to teach in the U.S.her work expanded in range and ambition with strong feminist dramas, often with an evangelistic edge. Rotimis themes were always political and often were based in the re-creation of incidents of Nigerian history: Kurunmi (first performed 1969) deals with the internecine wars of the Yoruba in the 19th century; Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (first performed 1971) treats the British colonial punitive expedition to Benin; Hopes of the Living Dead (first performed 1985) examines the struggle in the 1920s for the dignified treatment for lepers; Akassa You Mi (2001)published posthumouslypresents the 1895 conflict between the Nembe people and the Royal Niger Company. The 1960s saw the emergence of a new Black theatre, angrier and more defiant than its predecessors, with Amiri Baraka (originally LeRoi Jones) as its strongest proponent. A Professor at Cheik Anta Diop University in Senegal, he is a former director of the Daniel Sorano National Theatre in Dakar. And he was played by a Black man. The Nigerian playwright grew up in a world where theater literally had a place in the street, in performances of masquerade figures such as Egungungun, and festivals relating to burials and crafts, arts, seasonal rhythms and marriages. Osofisan also reworks other texts eitherif they are Nigerianas a critique of an earlier generation (No More the Wasted Breed, 1982, in response to Soyinkas The Strong Breed, 1963; Another Raft, 1988, commenting on Clarks The Raft, 1964) or, if international, as a vehicle for his own interpretation of contemporary events (among them, Whos Afraid of Solarin?, 1978, from Russian writer Nikolay Gogols The Government Inspector, 1836; Tegonni: An African Antigone, 1999; Women of Owu, 2006, from Euripides Trojan Women, 415 bce). To hear more audio stories from publications like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android. African theatre, effectively, the theatre of Africa south of the Sahara that emerged in the postcolonial erathat is to say, from the mid-20th century onward. What is Neoclassical and Romantic Sculpture? The first known play by a Black American was James Browns King Shotaway (1823). Performed in the same types of spaces as the rituals, such comic performances are still primarily done as entertainment. Ritual space existed, therefore, only by virtue of the forces and the supernatural beings that manifested themselves in it. He was the star of a production by the African Theater, widely considered the first Black theater in the United States. It is not possible to talk of much African theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or national patterns. African thought is steeped in animism which places humanity at the centre of its concerns. In such traditional ceremonies, for example, the mask is considered the material representation of a spiritual presence assuring the presence of the ancestors among the living. Concert Party theatre complemented the literary theatre with its particular kind of social commentary and its inventive use of both traditional and modern forms of entertainment. A drawing of James Hewlett in the title role of Richard III.CreditHoughton Library, Harvard University, via Wiki Commons. They are good examples of the theme of the clash of cultures that was commonplace in much African writing in the years surrounding independence, when a new young educated elite confronted what were thought to be old-fashioned traditional attitudes. The companys life-span was short only two or three years but its founder, its performers and its legacy changed American drama. The Nigerian playwright has grown up in a world where theatre literally takes place on the street, in the performances of such masquerade figures as the Egungun, or the festivals relating to trades, crafts, or seasonal rhythms, marriages and funerals. Soyinka maintained a strong theatrical output from the late 1950s (with two plays, The Lion and the Jewel, first performed 1959, published 1963; and The Swamp Dwellers, 1958, partly developed when he was associated with George Devines young writers group at the Royal Court Theatre, London) well into the 21st century (with King Baabu, 2002, and Alpat pta, 2011). The last known playbill for an African Theater production was dated June 1823. Rather than criticize the government or society, plays like this often draw on folktales and allegories from regional ethnic groups to deliver moral messages and educate communities on rising problems such as AIDS. Dance is a type of physical activity involving rhythmic . Within an indigenous dance tradition, each performance usually has a principal as well as a number of subsidiary purposes . Across the African continent, people practice very elaborate rituals that include ornate costumes and masks, music, dancing, and storytelling. The African has always lived in close accord with theatre and the theatrical; the performative, to use a contemporary term, is an integral part of his or her identity. ***The late Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh was a co-editor of the Africa volume of the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre. With a mix of fury and outrageous humor, their work conveys concerns that have long challenged this nation, including persistent inequities and the legacy of slavery. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. The mask, in this sense, tells a story, as it seeks out a supernatural past or present that it both directs and invigorates, participating in either the cohesion of the group or as an aggressor in a hostile situation. Omissions? Therefore, her style that is located within the contradictions between the West and the African world, making depth in the disjunctions of the diaspora and giving visibility to women, trying to demystify their image, so that, her work was theatricalized with great success. An important (and sophisticated) act in that context was Rose Mbowa Ugandas Mother and Children (premiered 1987). J.C. (Joe) de Grafts plays Sons and Daughters (1964) and the harsher Through a Film Darkly (1970) explored domestic problems. Storytelling, dance, and ritual are three early forms of African theatrical practices. As a result, everything that is done, said or performed in it is, in its turn, invested with a special energy. She is also known for plays she wrote for children such as Vulture! He also was deeply concerned with the dynamics between actor and audience, going so far in that respect as to design his own performance spaces, of which the most significant was the Ori Olokun centre in Ife, western Nigeria. Even though the theater itself doesnt last, it definitely lingers in the memory of the city, in the memory of the Black spectators, in the memory of the white spectators who either applauded it or who opposed it.. Wedlock of the Gods (1972) and King Emene (1974) are two of several plays that explore the strains imposed upon traditional values; other plays have drawn criticism because of a perceived social conservatism in Sofolas attitude. What is Rococo Sculpture? He worked generally on a large scale, incorporating many different ethnic influences in the performance structure of his plays (in terms of song, dance, language, etc.). William Wells Browns The Escape; or, A Leap for Freedom (1858), was the first Black play published, but the first real success of an African American dramatist was Angelina W. Grimks Rachel (1916). The political situation of independence was reflected in the theater, in which dramas by African authors multiplied, inserting local traditions into typical European structures. Major plays include The Chattering and the Song (first performed 1976) and Morountodun (1982), both examples of Osofisans radical political agenda, and a play about former nationalist leader of Ghana Kwame Nkrumah in exileNkrumah-niAfrica-ni! Early descriptions of African performances by foreignersfirst by Arabs from the eleventh century (a period before colonization), then by Europeans during the colonial periodinvariably missed the spiritual dimension spoken of here. Always displayed in motion (as dance) the dramatic function of masking is clear in all African communities. On Monday, Sept. 17, 1821, it opened with Richard III. This wasnt the swankiest showing; the first king was played by an enslaved man who wore a makeshift robe fashioned from a window curtain, and the play was condensed for a smaller cast. Two titles of plays by Ogunde indicate the range of his writing: The Garden of Eden and the Throne of God (1944) and Bread and Bullet (1950). Theatrical art demands the collaboration of the actors with one another, with a director, with the various technical workers upon whom they depend for costumes, scenery, and lighting, and with the businesspeople who finance, organize, advertise, and sell the product. These are all the appropriate channels necessary to ensure communication with the divinities and to convey to them humanitys grievances and praises. A number of other playwrights should be noted, including Martin Owusu (with The Mightier Sword, 1973, and The Sudden Return, 1973), Asiedu Yirenkyi (Kivuli, 1980; Blood and Tears, 1973), and Kwesi Kay (Hubbub in the House, 1972). Clearly, such a brief summary shows African theatrical art before contact with the outside world to be rich and complex. Updates? This is essential to how Sanskrit theatre was meant to be experienced; it was written for highly educated audiences who could simultaneously derive pleasure from theatre, and detach. It should be noted too that the mask does not have to be simply something covering the face, but can include garments which cover partially or even fully the wearers body. Music can be described as any sounds made with human vocal cords or instruments; some examples of types of music include classical, pop, rock, hip-hop, country and folk. African . Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has become a thriving center of pan-African experimentation, exchange and collaboration. The fact is that early Africans never invented a generic term to designate these representations. Its like a teacher waved a magic wand and did the work for me. They have been molded from the culture and customs of an entire community and are passed on by memory from generation to generation. Certainly, from the last half of the twentieth century, African secular theatre has returned to its own sources, and practitioners as well as researchers have once again found in these ancient forms the roots of theatrical renewal, and have again connected African theatre to those rituals, dances, masquerades, tales and folk celebrations which have for so long been the centre of the continents theatrical arts. Indigenous African theatre was deeply rooted in day-to -ay activities. Similarly, the often violent struggle for independence in Kenya and elsewhere produced powerful protest theater, and the process of independence was brought into drama increasingly articulated in the struggle against what was seen as neocolonial rule. One of the most outstanding authors was the Nigerian Wole Soyinka, who produced in English. But, in order to understand them, one must banish all notions of theatre as it is thought of in the Euro-American contextsomething dependent on text, on halls, on technology and on box-office returns. The dance often creates a moving dcor through the costumes, or through lines made by the dancers steps. And Brown had a sizable audience around 300 to 400 people, scholars estimate that could remember what his troupe brought to the stage. Often the dancing is communal rather than partnered, and audience members participate along with designated performers. Of the quartet of early playwrights, the one who best compares to Soyinka is Rotimi. As with ritual events, no admission is charged. Through various rituals and dances, communities pass down social patterns and rules, recite history, and encounter their gods. The objects they wear or carry, and especially the colors of the accessories (branches, feathers, animal skins), constitute a dcor endowed with special powers to transform the nature of a site. Ghanas Concert Party theatrea traveling performance troupe with a repertoire of broad comedies and social satiresflourished in the earlier part of the 20th century and continued in its popularity and ingenuity into the 21st century. Many different African traditions have relied on orature, which are stories that are passed down orally but that aren't written down. African Dance History, Types & Music | What is an African Dance? The structure of ritual space (as marked off by the protagonist) always conveys the desire to bring together the celebrants and those who share the same preoccupations. Nigeria stands out in the continent for the vigour and range of its theatre. Both these qualities contrast sharply with Western forms of theatre, which compartmentalize cultural forms of expression; hence the importance in Western theatre of the . Soyinkas first major play was his alternative contribution to the independence celebrations, A Dance of the Forests, first performed 1960, staged by the company he formed on his return to Nigeria, the 1960 Masks. It is at the crossroads of the sacred and the profane, orality and the written word, of inner roots and external adjuncts. There are masters of ceremonies as well as actions that take place according to an agreed scenario which itself respects certain ritual prescriptions. What do you imagine when you hear the word ''theatre''? In such events, the artists may themselves be the dcor. Barakas plays, including the award-winning Dutchman (1964), depicted whites exploitation of African Americans. By 1902, the conquest of Africa was almost complete, with the greatest beneficiaries being France, Great Britain, Portugal, Belgium, later Germany and, to a lesser extent, Spain and Italy. After serving as Ghanas Minister of Education in 1982, she won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, in addition to many other awards. Aidoo, also a poet and novelist, wrote only two plays, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965) and Anowa (1970). Still practiced today, it involves rhythmic body movements combined with music and sometimes . Both countries developed a sort of opera or satirical, musical, traveling theatre that often used fantastical or mythological characters to deliver social commentary. 79 lessons. His robust plays are often crusading but are always inventive and entertaining and engaging with real issues: he may be regarded as one of the leading African dramatists of the 20th century. After the American Civil War, Black actors began to perform in minstrel shows (then called Ethiopian minstrelsy), and by the turn of the 20th century they were producing Black musicals, many of which were written, produced, and acted entirely by African Americans. Such performances, like those of the commedia dellarte, depend a great deal on improvisation around a relatively limited series of stories drawn from the common heritage, which often mix serious and comic modes. When he dared to go toe-to-toe with a nearby white theater, each presenting rival Shakespeare productions, he was harassed by police and his theater was raided. It wasnt until the Harlem Renaissance, and then after World War II, in the 1950s and 60s, that Black theater would have its time in the spotlight. Thus, the richness of theater in Africa lies very much in the interaction of all these aspects of performance. Ghana produced two of Africas most-accomplished women playwrights, Efua Sutherland and Ama Ata Aidoo. The play depicted the characteristics, emotions, and struggles of an urban Black family and eventually won a New York Drama . His performers were attacked. It wasnt long before more performers joined Hewlett, who would become the principal actor in what came to be called the African Theater. succeed. by The African Theatre Magazine March 5, 2021 0 1k Features In most parts of Traditional Africa, theatre was a prerogative of the woman. Ancient Roman Theatre Facts & Importance | What is Ancient Roman Theatre? Characters were often noble, royal, or somehow exalted in position. This website helped me pass! African theater is a theater based on discrete historical and national patterns. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Throughout its history, Ailey's company has explored themes of African American heritage and culture. Drumming is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals. 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