Jos Repertory Theatre Announces 11th Jos Festival of Theatre 2018
A scene from Sefi Atta’s The Engagement.
The 11th Jos Festival of Theatre will open in Jos, Plateau State on March 4th. Over the last decade, the Festival of Theatre has become a nurturing ground for Nigerian artists to showcase their talents and creativity through a Nigerian and international repertory. The 2018 festival under the theme “Creative expression in a time of Hope” will feature riveting plays as well as a variety of workshops for the artistic community. The classes in acting, dance, basic film production, and arts management will hold during the day with the theatrical performances taking place in the evenings.
The Jos Festival’s plays will present poignant messages concerning migrants, marriage, politics, revolt, and the abuse of power over the week of performances. The workshops will include facilitators from Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and Jos.
The 2018 edition is also showcasing the directing skills of five new directors – Osasogie Efe Guobadia, Ebuka Ifebunso, Seyi Babalola, Sunny Adahson and Akolo James Anthony who will be directing the musical Brother Jonah’s Vocation which he wrote. He previously wrote two plays, A Toast of Triumph and Late Pam which have premiered at the festival. Among the other plays that will be featured this year are two American classics, Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge and August Wilson’s Radio Golf. The Spanish contribution to the festival is Lope de Vega’s Fuenteovejuna a true life story on events in the little Spanish city of Fuenteovejuna with an overbearing leader who faced revolt by the townspeople who eventually kill him on the night of a celebrated wedding in the city. The Spanish classic is being performed in English by local actors. Arthur Miller’s A View From The Bridge is being directed by Patrick-Jude Oteh.
Ahmed Yerima’s play on power, politics, and betrayal, Mu’Adhin’s Call, will be performed alongside Sefi Atta’s Renovation which will be used to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8th. Sefi Atta will make her second appearance at the festival after the premiere of her play Last Stand at the 9th Jos Festival of Theatre 2015.
The festival receives ongoing support from the U.S. Mission Nigeria in addition to an array of local and international supporters such as Grand Cereals Limited, the International Performer’s Aid Trust, and the Jos Business School.
The pre-festival play of the 2018 festival which will be performed on February 25th, 2018 is August Wilson’s award-winning play Fences which was the star feature at the 2017 Oscars awards. The play which deals with the domestic life of Troy Maxson, is set in 1950’s America when there was a new spirit of liberation but a liberation which makes Troy a stranger with an anger and a fear in a world that he never knew pitching him against his wife and his son whom he understands less with each passing day.
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