Category Archives: Playwrights
The True Meaning of Kĩhĩĩ
(This critique appeared in The EastAfrican 21-27 March under the title Immature Man: The true meaning of ‘kihii’) 1982, is a significant year in Kenya’s history owing to the political unrest leading to and following the attempted coup d’etat in … Continue reading
Ibsen Through the Eyes of Strathmore
(This critique appeared in The EastAfrican March 7-13 under the title Treachery and deciet behind the façade) THE heavy sound of a door being slammed is heard from below. These are the last words in the last scene of Ibsen’s … Continue reading
Shakespeare, I Presume?
(This critique appeared in The EastAfrican February 21-27 under the title, All About the Bard and the Bees) Despite speculation that some works attributed to him may have been written by other people, William Shakespeare (1564-1616) is heralded as the … Continue reading
Realism Fails to Pull Off Reality in Lucky People
“YOU ain’t seen a John Godber play unless directed by me,” says John Godber but his play Lucky Sods which opened at Phoenix Theatre on Friday January 14 2011 was directed by George Mungai. Godber is said to be … Continue reading
Filed under Andrew Muthure, Drama, George Mungai, John Godber, Phoenix Players, Phoenix Theatre
Changing Generations: A Big Musical On A Small Stage
(This review appeared in The East African January 17-23 2011) RECENTLY, I was called upon to direct a play, which had a substantial amount of music in it, although it was not a musical. As the saying goes, only … Continue reading
Filed under Andrew Muthure, Drama, George Mungai, James Falkland, Musicals, Phoenix Players, Phoenix Theatre
What Do We See In Theatre’s Mirror?
(This review appeared in the East African November 29 – December 5 2010 under the title Comedy ‘proposes’ a class struggle under Kenya’s peaceful [society]) Curtains fell on George Mungai’s Propose Me at the Phoenix Theatre on 20th November 2010. … Continue reading
Filed under David Opondoe, Drama, George Mungai, Lorna Irungu, Nick Njache, Phoenix Players, Phoenix Theatre
A Journey into the Middle Ages with Mario Pirovano
(This review appeared in the East African (November 15-21 2010) under the title Pirovano Is Perfect as “God’s Jester”) The Italian actor Mario Pirovano was in Nairobi last month- courtesy of the Italian Cultural Institute- performing his English translation of … Continue reading
Filed under Dario Fo, Drama, Mario Pirovano, Phoenix Theatre, Storytelling
Strathmore On the Wilde Side
(This review appeared in The East African October 11-17 2010) Russian director Vesvold Meyerhold described himself as the ‘author of the spectacle’, which is fitting because, while the playwright uses words to communicate his ideas, the director uses stage action. … Continue reading
Phoenix Presents Plautus- Master of Classic Comedy
(A version of this review appeared in the East African September 20-26 2010 under the title A Rich Serving of Classic Comedy) Financial considerations are obviously the major influencing factor determining a theatre company’s choice of play and Phoenix players … Continue reading
