Introductory description

This module will introduce you to various forms theatre takes on the African continent. It will consider the influences on theatre (social, political and economic) in specific countries, while highlighting the diversity of cultural and linguistic contexts even within a country. It will consider points of comparison regarding approaches to form, engagement with history and issues of gender.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Weekly break down
Primary Texts (advise you to buy these)
Jeyifo, Biodun (ed.) Modern African Drama (NY & London: Norton & Co., 2002)
Banham & Plastow (eds.) Contemporary African Plays. (London: Methuen, 1999)
Other texts referenced in individual texts or collections, and some readings available at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/electronicresources/extracts/th/th222

Week 1: Introduction to Theatre in Africa (08/01)

• Quiz, maps, orientation
• Videos of performance forms like Masquerade of Burkina Faso/ Miracle Play
• Issues of significance – Spirituality, language, gender, post-colonial identity
• Discussion of
  READ Kole Omotoso’s “Concepts of history and theatre in Africa”, Banham, 1-12, available http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/electronicresources/extracts/th/th222..
• Frantz Fanon “On National Culture” (Jeyifo, 415-421)
• Sam Ukala 2000. Impersonation in some African ritual and festival performances. New Theatre Quarterly, 61:1 (Feb) 76-87.

Week 2: Arabic African theatre - Eygpt (15/01)
Discuss translation, also place of Arabic culture in African context
Twefik al-Hakim (Egypt) – Fate of a Cockroach, 1974 (Jeyifo)

• The Donkey Market (in Hutchison/ Omotoso, on-intranet resources)

Week 3 – Workshop (22/01) – Form and ideological debate
Read in preparation
Mukotani Rugyenda (Tanzania) The Contest (in Hutchison/ Omotoso, at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/electronicresources/extracts/th/th222))
Layiwola, Dele. Conceptualising African Dance Theatre.
http://www.codesria.org/IMG/pdf/layiwola.pdf, accessed 05/07/10

Week 4: Form and ideological debate (29/01)
Discuss The Contest Workshop and Layiwola reading
Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin (Ethiopia, 1970) Collision of Altars (Jeyifo)
See Biodun Jeyifo “Art and Ideology in the Plays of Tsegaye Gabre-Medhin”, Jeyifo, pp. 574-577.

Week 5: Form and protest (05/02)
David Kerr “Art as tool, weapon, or shield?” (Jeyifo, 486-493)
Kateb Yacine (Algeria) Intelligence Power (Jeyifo) (compare donkey stories)
Andrew Whaley (Zimbabwe) The Rise and Shine of Comrade Fiasco (B & P)
Week 6 - Reading week (11-17/02)
Week 7: Use of History - Kenya (19/02)
Reflecting on issues of history, conflict and post-colonial identity reconstruction
Ngugi wa Thiong’o & Micere Githae Mugo 1975. The Trial of Dedan Kimathi
Watene, Kenneth. 1974. Dedan Kimathi. (Nairobi: Transafrica Publishing, 1974)
Ngugi wa Thiong’o & Ngugi wa Mirii (Kenya) I will Marry when I want. (Jeyifo)
Research Mau Mau conflict, also relook at TS Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral.
Read Ngugi, on the politics of performance space, Jeyifo, 434-456.

Week 8: Use of History - Nigeria (26/02)
Wole Soyinka – Death and the King’s Horseman (in Wadsworth, review year 1)
Femi Osofisan - The Chattering and the Song (Banham & Plastow)
See Soyinka’s view of the role of theatre for a culture’s survival, Jeyifo 421-433.

Week 9: Gender: Women’s domestic role (05/03)
Ama Ata Aidoo (Ghana) The dilemma of a ghost (Jeyifo)
Anowa (Banham & Plastow)
For context and further reading in relation to literature see, Caroline Rooney’s Decolonising Gender (London & New York: Routledge, 2007)

Week 10: Gender and conflict (12/03)
Alemseged Tesfai (Eritrea) The Other War (Banham & Plastow)
Andiah Kisia (Kenya) Homecoming (in African Women Playwrights, ed. Kathy A. Perkins (Urbana: Uni of Illinois Press, c2009) at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/library/electronicresources/extracts/th/th222

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• By the end of this module the students should be able to articulate the role colonialism has played on the development of post-colonial theatre in Africa.
• By the end of this module the students should be able to analyse the range of forms and foci that have developed in various theatrical practices across the continent.
• By the end of this module the students should be able to critically evaluate the impact socio-political, historic and economic changes have made on the theatre-makers and audiences of the plays.
• By the end of this module the students should be able to independently undertake both primary and secondary reading and articulate research findings orally (possibly as presentational work) and in writing

Indicative reading list

Reading lists can be found in Talis

Research element

Each session requires students to contextualise the plays being engaged in their specific African national context - including evaluating the place of religion, language, socio-political and historic background.
it also requires exploring and researching specific embodied performance forms.

Interdisciplinary

It requires engaging politcal, historic and gendered research.

International

This module considers plays from across the African continent - Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Zimbabwe, South Africa, etc.

Subject specific skills

A knowledge of specific of African Theatre form and how they differ from Western theatre formns.
A critical awareness of the role colonialism has played on the development of post-colonial theatre in Africa.
Some experience of the range of forms and foci that have developed in various theatrical practices across the continent.
A critically awareness of the impact socio-political, historic and economic changes can make on theatre and audiences of plays.
Specific approaches to gender in Africa.

Transferable skills

Research, practical skills of communication, wider intercultural skills as students learn to compare social values, communictaion forms and negotiatinso fo different histories and identities.