So this play was on at the Globe theatre, as part of the Globe2Globe series (thank you my lovely Sri Lankan friend for alerting me to this!).
This play was Shakespeare's Winter's tale. A play I had not heard of until Googling and reading the Wikepedia summary. Interesting plot. The review from a paper states:
"Played out in terms of Yoruba mythology, Hermione, the virtuous wife, becomes Oya the Warrior of the Wind. The royalty imagined by Shakespeare become the volatile Yoruba gods Ogun and Sango (God of Thunder). The character Time, who keeps track of the plot for the audience in the original text, has been replaced by a traditional singer. Performed by the Renegade Theatre Company"
The thing that most interested me was the fact that - despite living with my Yourba speaking parents for 35 years - I understood very little of the spoken word. I was really suprised. When I got back home, I did a little more Googling and read that the actors were using a very pure form of Yoruba from - the type that you might read in the Bible.
When I went home again later that day, I sat and really listened to my parents. To my suprise - I realised that a lot of my understanding was in the English words between the Yoruba words, facial expressions and other non-verbal communication. It certainly was an eye-opener for me!
As for the play itself - I am not experienced or qualified or knowledgable enough to write any kind of critique - but I loved the whole thing! I was transported to a Nigerian village, I somehow "believed" the characters - even though I did not really know what they were saying. I think I was just in tune with their movements and facial expressions - just drank it all in. I loved the music, the costumes. I especially loved the traditional singer - her voice put a lump in my throat and tears to my eyes. I just loved the whole thing. I am being clumsy and unimaginative with my words I know - but this is all I can say, I was awestruck.
Again I was reminded about how much I still do not know about my own culture and language. The older I get, the sadder that somehow makes me feel.
So...will I be seeing any more Nigerian plays? I write this entry on 5th July and I have since seen two more 'Egusi soup' and 'Belong' slightly different plays. Perphaps a darker take on the whole British/Nigerian 'thing'. I shall no doubt write about them soon!
O da bo
