August Wilson dines with Theatre lovers in Jos, Nigeria

JRT: A scene in August Wilson’ Fences 2017

One of America’s best playwrights whose work includes a series of ten plays, The Pittsburgh Cycle, for which he received two Pulitzer Prizes for Drama, will be dining with theatre lovers in Jos, Nigeria. After a long while, this would be his second coming in two consecutive years to Jos.

The city which is known for her charming scenery and comely weather with a rich, culturally diverse and artistic reference, will be hosting the great August Wilson of Pittsburgh on February 25^th (Sunday), 2018 at the Alliance Francaise, Opposite J.D. Gomwalk House (Standard Building) West of Mines. The occasion will be graced with a riveting immersion into the dramatic culture of the Jos Repertory Theatre as they initiate an adrenaline rush of theatrical performance of August’ Oscar Awards winning play, “FENCES”. Cameras will be set in a fixed position approximating the view of actors on stage revealing distinctive aesthetics and syntax to the audience with travel tours through a series of scenes and numbers that will illuminate their emotions and thoughts.

The play as a dialogue dominated, intense scenes, incredible monologues, explores the human experience holistically, examining themes such as family, duty, race, relations, death among other themes. Wilson’s title alludes to the dual metaphor of fences symbolically keeping things away or holding things in.  Much family strife and history is also revealed throughout “Fences” and that fit both ends of the parable.

Here is an excerpt; a tip of the Ice Berg.

CORY: The whole time I was growing up…living in his house… Papa was like a shadow that followed you everywhere. It weighed on you and sunk into your flesh. It would wrap around you and lay there until you couldn’t tell which one was you anymore. That shadow digging in your flesh. Trying to crawl in. Trying to live through you. Everywhere I looked, Troy Maxson was staring back at me…hiding under the bed…in the closet. I’m just saying I’ve got to find a way to get rid of that shadow, Mama.

ROSE: You just like him. You got him in you good.

CORY: Don’t tell me that, Mama.

ROSE: You Troy Maxson all over again.

CORY: I don’t want to be Troy Maxson. I want to be me.

August’s Fences was chosen as the voice crying in the wilderness to unveil the object of the 11^th Jos Festival of Theatre (March 4th-9th) 2018 with intents condensed in “Creative expression in a time of Hope” featuring poignant messages concerning migrants, marriage, politics, revolt, and the abuse of power over the week of performances.

It’s a must-see. Let’s hit the pavement if we have to and honor this call, catching countless life’s lesson for cultural immersion and personal transformation.