Jero Plays @Terrakulture

In the month of July (every Sunday), Theatre@Terra presents The Jero Plays written by Wole Soyinka & Directed by Wole Oguntokun

Date:  04 July - July 25, Time: 3pm and 6pm

Location: Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage St, Victoria Island, Lagos

Theatre@Terra presents its 4th "Annual Season of Wole Soyinka Plays" every Sunday in July featuring the comedies "The Trials of Brother Jero" and "Jero's Metamorphosis"

Sure this would be fun...see you there!

More Events To Be At!

Nigeria International Book Fair 2009: The 8th edition of the NIBF organised by the Nigeria Book Fair Trust--Multi-Purpose Hall of the University of Lagos. May 11-16. (Author's groove at the book fair: Authors and critics will be hosted under the theme, "State of Nigerian Literature" at the Multi-purpose Hall, UNILAG, Lagos. 10am. May 15.)

9 Writers, 4 Cities: The Book Tour: A series of book readings, book signings and discussions in four cities: Benin, Ibadan, Lagos, and Warri. Till June 6.

9 Writer's in Lagos: Second leg of the writers' tour--The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki, Lagos. 2-7pm. May 17.

Araism Movement 5: Ara Studio in collaboration with Mydrim Gallery presents the fifth edition of art exhibitions titled "Araism Movement 5" at Mydrim Gallery Ikoyi, Lagos. 5.00pm. May 16-30.

Quintessence presents Oyerinde Olotu: Oyerinde Olotu's exhibition of portraits of Nigeria's past and present heroes, also works depicting major landmarks and cities at Quintessence, Falomo Shopping Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos. 4.00pm. May 30.

US Cultural envoy visits: Seattle artist, Dionne Haroutunian, visits Nigeria as a US cultural envoy. May 12- 27. The artist will give a lecture at the Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos. May 27.

The Trials of Brother Jero Plays: The National Theatre/National Troupe of Nigeria in collaboration with the Creative Arts Department, UNILAG and Arambe Productions performs Wole Soyinka's play. May 13-31. Public performance at UNILAG main auditorium, Lagos. 5pm. May 13 & 14.

Words and Pictures (WAPI) in May: With the theme "Got the crunch?" WAPI exhibition holds at the British Council, 20 Thompson Avenue, Ikoyi, Lagos. Free. 10am-4pm. May 16.

Events To Be At!

Words and Pictures (WAPI): Alliance Francaise hosts Nigerians under the theme "Naija, Yes We Can", 22 Magajin Rumfa Road, Kano. 10 am. May 9.

Theatre @ Terra presents the play "Gbanja Roulette", Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island, Lagos. Every Sunday in May at 3pm and 6pm.

ArtZero in collaboration with Children Living With Cancer Foundation hosts its 3rd edition of "Art on the Mainland" at the National Thatre, Iganmu, Lagos. Exhibition is between May 9 and May 16.

The third Lagos Artists Forum themed "The Artist as a Reporter" holds at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos 11.30 am on May 13.

Events To Be At!

Cultural Festival: Grand finale of the Anioma Cultural Festival. Asaba Arcade, Asaba, Delta State. April 13

Book Presentation: Public presentation of Toni Kan's Nights of the Creaking Bed and Songs of Absence and Despair. Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island. 2pm. April 18

Anatomy of a Woman: Theatre@Terra's presentation of Wole Oguntokun's play. Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island. 3pm & 6pm, Sundays in April.

Beyond the Obvious: An exhibition of paintings by Ade Odunfa, Ogaga Tuodeinye and Sylvester Aigbogun. Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island. 5pm. April 17 to 23.

ANA Meeting: Monthly meeting of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) will hold at the Aina Onabolu Complex, National Gallery of Arts, Iganmu, Lagos. 4pm. April 25.

The World is Flat: An exhibition by Danish curator, Johanne Loegstroup. Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA), 9 McEwen Street,Yaba, Lagos.Until May 3.

Ejire: An experimental work on Soyinka's Childe Internationale by Bode Alao. Amphitheatre (Behind new car park) University of Ibadan. 7pm daily. April 22 to May 3.

The Engagement: Femi Osofisan's play by Oracle Repertory Theatre. Amphitheatre (Behind new car park) University of Ibadan, April 22 to May 3. 7.00pm daily

Events To Be At!

Esu and the Vagabond Minstrels: Femi Osofisan’s play directed by Yemi Akintokun with choreography by Isaac Israel. Amphitheatre (Behind new car park) University of Ibadan, Ibadan. 7.00pm. April 9.

Ejire: An experimental work on Soyinka’s Childe Internationale by Bode Alao. Amphitheatre (Behind new car park) University of Ibadan, Ibadan. 7pm daily; April 22 to May 3.

The Engagement: Femi Osofisan’s play by Oracle Repertory Theatre. Amphitheatre (Behind new car park) University of Ibadan, April 22 to May 3. 7.00pm daily.

Susanne Wenger: Final burial ceremony for Adunni Olorisa in Osogbo, Osun State. April 6 to12.

Cultural Festival: Asa Ibile Cultural Festival, Osogbo, Osun State. April 6 to 9.

Auction: ArtHouse Contemporary’s auction of works by Nigerian and Ghanaian artists. Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe, Victoria Island. Viewing on April 5. Auction on April 6 2009.

Anatomy of a Woman: Theatre @Terra’s presentation of Wole Oguntokun’s play. Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage, Victoria Island. 3pm & 6pm, Sundays in April.

The World is Flat: An exhibition at the Centre of Contemporary Art (CCA), 9 McEwen Street, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos. Until May 3.

The Fall of a King...

Yes, I watched a Nigerian play recently. The venue was National Theatre; the host, Crown Troupe and the play, Ahmed Yerima's The Fall of A King.

There was a poetry performance of 'Ajani', a passionate love poem from Jumoke Verissimo's new anthology I am Memory by the troupe. There was Fulani dance by some children which made me know that there is hope for the arts sector in Nigeria. There was also a maiden dance that focused on the upliftment of the traditional African values. And guess what? That was just the appetizer.

Now to the main dish, the performance was captivating. The play was very well acted: a blend of traditional dance and contemporary Nigerian dance (Alanta, yahooze, for those that know them!)the use of pidgin English, chants, songs, masks and tatoos. The play itself was a political satire about the love of power and the things humans do for power. The setting was the animal kingdom at a time when animals were living in peace without any leader, then, there was an hunter who missed his way and taught the animals how to have a ruler through democracy. The crux of the play focused on the gamble for the throne by the Elephant, Lion and Tortoise. The in-between is why you will get hold of the book and read or pray that Crown Troupe performs the play again...One more thing, Tortoise Inauguration Speech was an adaptation of Obama's Inauguration speech, that was really it for me...he was giving his speech punctured by fast paced music that as I remember was 'Oya Tortoise quote Obama', that was very hilarious...

A very well told and dramatised play with allusions to past dictators in Nigeria (Abacha, Babangida) and a warning to politicians in general: the people put you there, they are the ones you should serve. And the use of animals, maybe we are all animals in a way, particularly when we let the animal instincts in us rise, when we let the 'dog' in us eat another 'dog' in the chase for a 'bone' called power.

There was also the dessert: a dance by Nefertiti, a traditional dance troupe. What else could I ask for to make my week lovely?

It was however pathetic that the audience was not big enough for that kind of presentation, we were not up to fifty in the hall. Imagine!













NB: Crown Troupe presents plays at the National Theatre every month. The next production is on March 1, 2009 with Ayo Arigbabu's adaptation of Moremi.

PS. Read interviews with Ayo Arigbabu and Segun Adefila, the Director of Crown Troupe soon.

Ebuntemi