Felix Bwanika, an actor with The Foursum, a Ugandan comedy and drama group has interesting stories to tell about his experience as a theatre actor in Uganda. He has been in the industry for a while now but he says that one of the most disappointing moments for him is when he has been eager to entertain but when the curtains are rolled up for him to act, he sees that theatre seats are empty.
Empty theatre seats at the Uganda National Theatre
“I have performed on many shows where the group of actors on the stage is even more than the number of people watching the play in the audience. It is very disappointing and demotivating,” he says.
Felix however says that despite the low turn up he always tries his best to put up a spirited show.
“We of course have to go on acting as though we have a full house. We still give it our best because even the few who show up pay entrance fees and have to get their money’s worth,” says Felix.
Theatre drama has struggled to sustain itself in a commercial entertainment industry with limited support from the government and yet even the public is shunning it.
Big sections of the youth do not even understand what it is about. Eighty percent of Ugandan youth have never watched a staged drama play in a theatre.
I took it upon myself to find out the views of some of the students from Makerere University on theatre and why they have no interest.
Click to listen to my amazing findings here:
Do you agree or disagree with them? What’s yo stand?
Love, JaneJustine
Coachella has been and gone to signify the start of festival season, but here’s why it’s okay if you won’t be drinking warm wine out of a fruit shoot bottle and donning a flowery headband this summer…
When you’re from England, you’re optimistic if your think August might be sunnier than rainy. When you’re at a festival you can hands down guarantee It will absolutely piss it down. And then be very very very muddy.
Festival= beer. Muddy+ drunkness= falling.
Sometimes you get separated from your friends and it’s like being in a human drunk version of Finding Nemo (still as sad).
Paying £4 for a bottle of water…and not being able to bring your own in. WHAT KIND OF FRESH HELL IS THIS.
Okay so your favourite band are playing at 9pm…you would think that means lazily lolling around having a cider till then. NO. It is every man…
Looking resplendent in a red gomesi with a golden sash tied around her waist, Annet Nandujja made her debut DOADOA appearance like a true Muganda woman. Her dancers, also clad in the same outfits, followed her in a single file gracefully swaying to the sound of Nandujja’s voice singing one of her most popular songs, Abaami. The song, which praises men on their ability to tame the wildest women and make women fight each other, particularly struck a chord with the male revellers who could not help feeling a little too important. Who would not?
Shortly after they changed into the traditional kiganda dance attire; printed tops that covered their shoulders, with white silk materials in their midriff sections that accentuated the body undulations, wide floor-length kikoyis, raffia skirts around the back plus a sash around the waist line that gave a clear finish to the raffia skirt. They as usual added dance animal skins at the backside. It was clearly time to dance!
Nandujja singing songs about day to day issues like marriage and women’s hygiene had the audience engaged while the dancers too showcased their skill at dancing baakisimba, muwogola and nankasa. But Nandujja of course was the main attraction. Her stomach wiggled and jiggled to the beat of the drums like a balloon filled with water.
Had the Kabaka been around, he would have been alarmed at some of the moves danced by Nandujja and the planets. But he wasn’t! The dancers therefore had a great time fusing the traditional dances with some cheekiness. The muwogola dance was spiced up with provocative moves that saw them touch their chests, dancing chest to chest and a little bit of flirtation with the male percussionists which just drove the audience wild.
Nandujja and The planets entertain the crowd
All this was witnessed last Wednesday night at the opening night of the DOADOA East African Perfoming Arts Market held at the national theatre auditorium.
A brain child of the Bayimba foundation, DOADOA is the East African Performing Arts Market – a professional networking platform for both regional and international industry stakeholders in the performing arts business that aims at causing a gradual growth in the identification and exposure of Performing arts within and beyond the region.
The night which was opened by a cocktail officially kicked off with a preliminary session where guests were oriented on what to expect from this year’s DOADOA. Faisal Kiwewa, the director Bayimba/DOADOA, hosted two speakers; Brahim El Mazned, director Visa For Music the African and Middle East Music Market and Mike Strano – director of Kenya Music Week.
They guided the guests on how to maximise their experiences and opportunities to network with all the conference delegates and professionals at this year’s market. They also answered questions and addressed concerns from the audience which was mostly composed of arts lovers, artistes and writers.
The organizers could not have thought better than to invite Nandujja for the opening night for she not only entertained the audience but also well-represented the traditional Ugandan entertainment. For some of the guests, like Brahim El Mazned, who were in Uganda for the first time, it was an interesting experience watching the dancers twisting, turning and moving their waists in rapid circular motions while their feet seemed to be tip toeing on the ground.
The market soon after moved to Jinja’s Crested Crane hotel and CEPAC till Saturday.
CONFESSIONS256 