Martin Banham Livres

This second annual volume in the African Theatre series focuses on the intersection of politics and theatre in Africa today. Topics include the remarkable collaboration between Horse and Bamboo, a puppet theatre company based in the United Kingdom, and Nigerian playwright Sam Ukala that was inspired by the infamous execution of Nigerian playwright Ken Saro-Wiwa and other Ogoni activists; the plays of Femi Osofisan; and plays by Ghanaian playwrights Joe de Graft and Mohammed Ben-Abdallah. African Theatre features the work of Mauritian playwright Dev Virahsawmy and includes an interview with him, reviews of an English production of his play, Toufann, as well as the translated playscript. Reports of workshops and conferences, reviews, and news of the year in African theatre make this volume a valuable resource for anyone interested in current issues in African drama and performance.

This special issue, guest edited by Judith Greenwood and Chuck Mike, is devoted to early revue sketches by Wole Soyinka that had never been published outside Nigeria before. Soyinka's most recent plays - The Beatification of Area Boy and King Baabu, draw strongly on characters and incidents first created in Soyinka's revues and satirical songs, such as Before the Blackout and Unlimited Liability Company. Before the Blackout staged in the late 1960s, was published in Nigeria by Orisun Acting Editions, but is now a rarity. Unlimited Liability Company exists as a long-playing record - again rare. Other material, including the Unife Theatre Guerilla Unit's Before the Blowout exist only in manuscript. Very few younger students of Soyinka's work are aware of this material or have access to it. This volume brings these brilliant satirical works of Soyinka's back into life, and offers contextualising commentaries from Martin Banham, Femi Osofisan and colleagues of Soyinka's associated with this early, but fundamentally formative, work. Guest edited by MARTIN BANHAM with JUDITH GREEENWOOD & CHUCK MIKE North America: Africa World Press

"A truly worthwhile resource in a growing field of research--the theater and drama of Africa--this volume collects ten essays about theater practice, publications, and productions; in-depth reviews of 17 books; and a new play." --Choice "... a 'must-have' for anybody interested in issues relating to theatre and development in Africa.... a pioneering effort... " --H-Net Reviews Art as a tool, weapon, or shield? This compelling issue and others are explored in this diverse collection of intriguing perspectives on African theatre in development. Also here: strategies in staging, propaganda, and mass education, and a discussion of the playwright Alemseged Tesfai's career in service to Eritrean liberation.

Guest edited by Christine Matzke & Osita Okagbue, this latest volume in the African Theatre series celebrates the African theatrical diaspora from Brazil to Tasmania, and Canada to Cuba.