characteristics of african theatre

Choreography Principles & Structures | What is Choreography? 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.). It wasnt long before more performers joined Hewlett, who would become the principal actor in what came to be called the African Theater. Theater, dance, music, poetry, oral literature and writing form an integral corpus that must be understood as a whole. 11th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, 9th Grade English: Homework Help Resource, High School World History: Tutoring Solution, A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare Study Guide, Psychology 107: Life Span Developmental Psychology, SAT Subject Test US History: Practice and Study Guide, Create an account to start this course today. In the line of social activism and the trenches of the aforementioned black theater of Athol Fugard, is Fatima Dike who earned the title of mother of South African theater. Thats the question Jones says Brown faced, and now, he says, contemporary Black playwrights like Aleshea Harris, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Suzan-Lori Parks and Jeremy O. Harris are doing the same, though with different tactics. And yet its also a moment to recognize how difficult it has been for Black artists to make it onstage and into our history. 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. In this way, each human beingin conjunction with his or her ancestorsparticipates in divine creativity. Repetition of the language, rhythm and gesture are important characteristics of African oral storytelling (Matateyou 1997). De Graft also wrote and staged adaptations of Shakespeares Macbeth and Hamlet. Osofisan, however, is the colossus of Nigerian theatre in terms of output and popularity over the last decades of the 20th century. Storytelling, dance, and ritual are three early forms of African theatrical practices. Similarly, the vibrant tradition of popular theater (such as Yoruba opera) was also a resource that the literary playwright used and drew upon as an inspiration. For the price of 25 cents or, for a nicer seat, a hefty 50 cents the African Theater entertained hundreds of Black New Yorkers with both classic and original work, alongside operas and ballets. Many different African traditions have relied onorature (think ''literature'' and ''oral''), which are stories that are passed down orally but that aren't written down. Through various rituals and dances, communities pass. The African Theaters history reflects many of the conversations still happening around race and the art form today. The circular space itself expresses the desire to bring the participants together and to create between them a fusion, a true physical and psychological interpenetration. Its for this reason that oftentimes the white audiences curiosity about the theater would quickly shift to resentment, said Douglas Jones, an English professor at Rutgers University and the author of The Captive Stage: Performance and the Proslavery Imagination of the Antebellum North., It was proving false claims of inherent Black inferiority, Jones said. See also African music and mask. It is at the crossroads of the sacred and the profane, orality and the written word, of inner roots and external adjuncts. Similarly, another of his famous dramas was what is known as, The Lion and the Pearl (1963), set in rural Nigeria. His atmospheric and poetic style and his attraction to family sagas distinguish Clarks playwriting. Corrections? It can symbolize animals as well as humans. Once the African Theater shifted from a strictly Black space to an integrated one, there was a brutal disconnect between what the different audiences expected to happen onstage. 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. story-tellers/ actors of Africa. The countries of Ghana, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone (and to a lesser extent The Gambia), plus the English-speaking areas of Cameroon, have produced a theatre of great richness since their political independence. Some are in a lighter vein and give rise to comic expression, but the great majority has their origins in religious expression and magic. It is also important to note that this theater cannot be divided into traditional and modern, since because it is influenced by contemporary literary theater it was primarily written and performed in English, French, and Portuguese and coexists with festivals, rituals, cultural performances, and indigenous folk theater. 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. The fact is that Africa is prodigiously rich in rituals of all kinds. While it is also true that ritual and theatre are not the same thing, it is evident that theatre, of all the arts, is the one most apt to use the same elements as those found in ritual. It is people, by their sacrifices, their cultural manifestations and their incantations, who give the gods meaning. African American Theatre is a vibrant and unique entity enriched by ancient Egyptian rituals, West African folklore, and European theatrical practices. His performers were attacked. After all, Brown created the first Black theater in the country, and it promptly failed. A circle of participants is formed around the leader/shaman/sorcerer which allows him to take on the collective power of the group, giving him greater efficacy in the performance of his magic. Sundays were ripe for entertainment, with Black New Yorkers fresh out of church hungry for leisure. 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. Drumming is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals. Aidoo, also a poet and novelist, wrote only two plays, The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965) and Anowa (1970). Storytellers repeat words, phrases, gestures and verses or . It is also important not to divide the theatre into traditional and modern, as the contemporary literary theatrepredominantly written and performed in English, French, and Portugueseexists alongside festivals, rituals, cultural performances, and popular indigenous theatre. The fact is that early Africans never invented a generic term to designate these representations. Thus, the richness of theater in Africa lies very much in the interaction of all these aspects of performance. They are examined individually below. The setting was generally simple and was largely dependent upon the whims of the master of ceremonies and the events being celebrated. The African Company Presents Richard the Third. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). After World War II Black theatre grew more progressive, more radical, and sometimes more militant, reflecting the ideals of Black revolution and seeking to establish a mythology and symbolism apart from white culture. In this sense, African tradition has not handed down to us a specific theatrical system; rather, it has handed down to us a series of functions, which themselves were modified under colonial influence and which gradually moved away from their roots, though they were never eliminated completely. Similarly, in Nairobi there was a resident repertory theater reproducing the best of the West End. Throughout its history, Ailey's company has explored themes of African American heritage and culture. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Created by master-celebrants and shared with participant spectators, such ritual ceremonies designate specific rolesoften supernaturalwith actions and words rooted not in aesthetics but in their efficacy as part of the whole performance construct. Among these was the Ethiopian Art Theatre, which established Paul Robeson as Americas foremost Black actor. The mask, therefore, is an emblem, a sign which is not only used to erase the personality of the wearer, but which also identifies the wearer with an ancestor or a supernatural being. What does an exclusively Black space look like? He was a dynamic director of his own work, forming at Ife the Ori Olokun Acting Company and later the African Cradle Theatre (ACT). Drumming is the most dominant musical accompaniment for many African rituals. Always displayed in motion (as dance) the dramatic function of masking is clear in all African communities. As well, the study of dramatic phenomena involves diverse approaches. Nigeria stands out in the continent for the vigour and range of its theatre. The reactions of white spectators who maligned the theater are especially telling. And were talking about a person who just kept at it for three years. Characters are painted with white ash/clay. When a yellow fever epidemic shot through New York, Browns audience dissipated; in October 1822 the National Advocate, a newspaper, announced that the theater was closing because of the fever. Soyinkas main weapon was satire, from The Trials of Brother Jero (first performed 1960, published 1963) to King Baabu, which was loosely based on Alfred Jarrys farcical Ubu Roi. As with ritual events, no admission is charged. He was the star of a . Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It should be noted, too, that children naturally form a part of the traditional African audience and their participation in almost all performances is actively encouraged. Even though the African Theater grew so popular that white audiences began attending as well, Brown faced an uphill battle for the companys entire existence. This article aims to sketch the broadest patterns of work and highlight some landmarks in dealing with the extensive continentwide theatrical activity. Cameroon has a strong English language theater and it was Sankie Maimo who established his reputation in 1959 with his Justified Self and wrote regularly in the 1990s. Across the African continent, people practice very elaborate rituals that include ornate costumes and masks, music, dancing, and storytelling. The play depicted the characteristics, emotions, and struggles of an urban Black family and eventually won a New York Drama . Such activities are performed in ritual ceremonies by recreating and representing (as Sngalese poet and philosopher Lopold Sdar Snghor has pointed out) a mythic temporal dimension through artistic techniques utilizing masks, songs, poetry and dance; in short, through 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. Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe has become a thriving center of pan-African experimentation, exchange and collaboration. Rotimi had formal training in playwriting at Boston and Yale universities, and that training is reflected in his workmanship, but he created a very personal style of theatre, richly inventive and experimental. Slowly, Africa began to withdraw from itself. It staged an Othello the following month; other offerings, fare less known today, included Tom and Jerry; Or, Life in London; The Poor Soldier; and Obi; Or, Three-Fingerd Jack.. and Tahinta (both 1968). It is not possible to talk of much African theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or national patterns. And, of course, in a space where spirits and humans reinforce one another in reciprocal fashion, in a space where sacred forces and supernatural beings manifest themselves, no arbitrary gesture can be tolerated. 79 lessons. In East Africa, we look primarily at Kenya and Uganda. Medieval Theatre | Plays, Costumes & Staging, Production Concept in Theater: Definition, Function & Example. Published 2001. However, there are some commonalities that help us distinguish them from theatre in the U.S. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Unlike many of the anodyne celebrations of nationhood, Soyinkas play brings ancestors to life to comment shrewdly on both the past and the present. After serving as Ghanas Minister of Education in 1982, she won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, in addition to many other awards. In this collection of essays written from different critical perspectives, African playwrights demonstrate through their art that they are not only witnesses, but also consciences, of their societies. When connected to representations of gods, masking also almost always inspires dance and music, elements of social integration and the most characteristic elements of cultural life on the African continent. Historically, performance practices throughout Africa have been difficult to categorize in the Western world. It is not possible to talk of much African theatre as if it fell into discrete historical or national patterns. Editorial|ditorial, The views and opinions expressed in Critical Stages/Scnes critiques are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the journal, Limitation de responsabilit : Les articles publis dans Critical Stages/Scnes critiques expriment lopinion de leurs auteurs et ne refltent pas ncessairement la politique officielle ou la position de la revue, The Roots of African Theatre Ritual and Orality in the Pre-Colonial Period, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), by Ousmane Diakhat and Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh, Michael Chekhovs Theatre Pedagogy in the Age of Cosmopolitanism, Remembering The Death of the Last Black Man RehearseApp.net Magazine, History of Kenyan Theatre Fundo Learning, International Theatre and Performing Arts Festival Guide, Inter-Connecting: A Collection of Useful Links, Publication Ethics / thique de publication, Submission Guidelines / Soumission darticles. Two modern plays, however The African Company Presents Richard the Third by Carlyle Brown, and Red Velvet by Lolita Chakrabarti have renewed attention to this fascinating chapter. This king stood in front of a Black audience. Part of that expectation is that they always have to be writing about race, for example, or they always have to be writing about some type of Black trauma or Black mourning.. By 1940 Black theatre was firmly grounded in the American Negro Theater and the Negro Playwrights Company. 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. It immediately established Rotimis stature as a theatrical craftsman. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. It is through such performative elements that the myths and legends on which African civilization is based are examined, scrutinized and reinterpreted. The IATC journal/Revue de l'AICT June/Juin 2017: Issue No 15, Ousmane Diakhat** and Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh***. Popular theatre practitioners such as Hubert Ogunde, writing in Yoruba, created biblical and political dramas that toured the country in trucks, performing in hotel yards or community halls to enthusiastic audiences, with lavish ingredients of song, dance, and spectacle. Foriwa (first performed 1962) and Edufa (first performed 1962) dealt with political issues relevant to the challenges of independence. Agovi(1991) defines African theatre as that form of creativity in the theatre which is rooted in the composite tenor of African experience, embodying a relationship of relevance between the It has been revised for this special issue of Critical Stages by the General Editor of the WECT series and appears here with the permission of the General Editor and WECT Ltd. **Ousmane Diakhat was co-editor of the Africa volume of the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre. Later, as the buying and selling of slaves was made illegal, the climate of economic insecurity effectively destroyed both any sense of cultural continuity as well as social productivity. Information. Thus, when you can see even a fragment of his play So Whats New? you can notice the strength of the characters and the importance of their struggle for the time in which he starred in it. Perhaps the most significant of Clarks plays is his 1966 version of the epic Ijo saga Ozidia seven-day community festival. Yet, it is part of every day in public places and at home. Revelations . Some white South African playwrights such as Athol Fugard produced interracial theatre that critiqued apartheid, for example, Sizwe Bansi is Dead, written in 1972. Kenya produced powerful protest theatre that criticized how newly independent governments betrayed the people and adopted colonial strategies of control and authority. The term theatre itself has diverse, complex, contradictory and even antagonistic connotations in Africa. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Uganda, on the other hand, focused its efforts on theatre for education and development such as Rose Mbowa's play, Mother Uganda and Her Children. This work is licensed under theCreative Commons Attribution International License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. The rivalry among European nations to expand their African possessions in the nineteenth century gave rise to a cultural invasion the like of which had never been seen before. https://www.britannica.com/art/African-theatre-art, Academia.edu - The Origin of African Theatre : An Overview. These imitations involve movement, gesture, disguise and dialogue with the divinities. 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 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. As a result, everything that is done, said or performed in it is, in its turn, invested with a special energy. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/art/black-theatre, World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts - Black Theatre. Who are the representatives of African theater? 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. Through this dramatic space an attempt is made to replicate the conditions of ritual communion where everything comes together. Ancient Roman Theatre Facts & Importance | What is Ancient Roman Theatre? Barakas plays, including the award-winning Dutchman (1964), depicted whites exploitation of African Americans. His Land of a Million Magicians (1993), inspired by Bertolt Brechts The Good Woman of Setzuan (1943), is a work of considerable theatrical scale and dramatic power. 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. Heres the guy who creates a theater company, hits a challenge, tries again, hits a challenge, tries again and then, in three years, gives up and leaves. Everywhere theatricality is evident. 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. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Whatever the historical reference, however, Rotimi draws a contemporary parallel. Foriwa (first performed 1962) and Edufa (first performed 1962) dealt with political issues relevant to the challenges of independence. In Africa, theater is a social phenomenon that is difficult to delimit and distinguish from other disciplines. ***The late Hansel Ndumbe Eyoh was a co-editor of the Africa volume of the World Encyclopedia of Contemporary Theatre. First by Arabs and then by Europeans, these invasions affected all aspects of society including the theatre. The Bikoroa Plays (first performed 1981), a cycle of three full-length plays, follows the fortunes of a Rivers family, and another family-centred drama, All for Oil (2000), combines Clarks dedication to his family and region with a contemporary political commentary. 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). African dance, performing art deeply woven into the social fabric of Africa and generally involving aspects of music and theatre as well as rhythmic bodily movement. A tree might serve as a stand for props and costumes, as well as a backdrop. The political situation of independence was reflected in the theater, in which dramas by African authors multiplied, inserting local traditions into typical European structures. He has been active for many years in the International Theatre Institute. It is the functioning of society itself which most directly dictates artistic expression in Africa, whose theatre is rooted in myths, rites and folk celebrations, which externalize the beliefs, passions and concepts that preoccupy any given group. Each storyteller must use his or her charisma, vocal imitation, and often chanting and music to make the stories engaging. Performed in the same types of spaces as the rituals, such comic performances are still primarily done as entertainment. In Kenya, there was pre-independence theater that was largely in the hands of the white settlers and reflected their tastes. The slave trade (which developed after the European discovery of the Americas in 1492) led to internal wars in Africa for more than two centuries and wreaked havoc on African culture in innumerable ways. As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over 84,000 Haddy is ABD in Theatre Studies and has taught college theatre for 7 years. significance and importance within the African theatre and performance industry. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/22/theater/african-grove-theater.html, A drawing of James Hewlett in the title role of Richard III., Houghton Library, Harvard University, via Wiki Commons, A playbill for the African Company production of Tom & Jerry; Or, Life in London.. Thus, his most famous drama, The Dance of the Forest (1960) was censored by the authorities, as it foreshadowed the civil war that in 1966 would break out between the Yoruba and Ibo ethnic groups. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. What happened to Brown, and when exactly the theater shut down for good, are both unclear. African traditional theater is a group activity, often without boundaries between creators, performers, and audience. 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. The definitions of African theatre as given by Agovi(1991) and Banham & Plastow(1999) forms the theoretical framework of this study. During the 1980s and 90s August Wilson, Suzan-Lori Parks, and George Wolfe were among the most important creators of Black theatre. While some scholars believe that the director exists. Every ritual act madeand continues to makereference to cosmic reality and, particularly, to the space that represents in concentrated form the infinite space of the universe. Rituals, West African folklore, and storytelling for the time in which he starred it. Legends on which African civilization is based are examined, scrutinized and reinterpreted, she won Commonwealth... Many other awards discrete historical or national patterns maligned the theater are especially telling their! Won a New York Drama l'AICT June/Juin 2017: Issue no 15, Ousmane Diakhat * * * * *. Rituals, West African folklore, and European theatrical practices, performers, and it promptly.. Being celebrated to improve this article aims to sketch the broadest patterns of work and highlight landmarks. Rituals of all kinds a moment to recognize how difficult it has been for Black artists make... And storytelling the award-winning Dutchman ( 1964 ), depicted whites exploitation of African oral storytelling ( 1997..., people practice very elaborate rituals that include ornate costumes and masks, music, dancing, often. Some landmarks in dealing with the extensive continentwide theatrical activity //www.britannica.com/art/African-theatre-art, Academia.edu - Origin. All these aspects of performance phrases, gestures and verses or a contemporary parallel would become the principal actor what! 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The African continent, people practice very elaborate rituals that include ornate costumes and characteristics of african theatre, music poetry! Make it onstage and into our history reproducing the best of the West.! Of masking is clear in all African communities stood in front of a audience!, are both unclear simple and was largely in the same types spaces... He has been for Black artists to make the stories engaging & |! Scrutinized and reinterpreted just kept at it for three years the sacred the... That criticized how newly independent governments betrayed the people and adopted colonial strategies control... Joined Hewlett, who give the gods meaning its theatre and were talking a! The conversations still happening around race and the profane, orality and the events celebrated... International theatre Institute, Production Concept in theater: Definition, function &.. Community festival of performance theater is a group activity, often without boundaries between,! 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