Prof. Abdulrasheed Adeoye, of the Department of Performing Arts at the University of Ilorin has advocated the revival of experimental theatre in Nigeria.
Adeoye made the call in his Research paper entitled: “Poetic of Legislation and De-legislation on Play Directing.”
According to him, experimental theatre tries to introduce a different use of language and the body to change the mode of perception and to create a new, more active relation with the audience.
He also said a “closed-text” has no place in the post-colonial theatre, while recommending that directors should experiment reinvention of play texts that they want to direct.
“More poetics of Legislation and De-legislation on Play Directing are expected from theatre directors and scholars so as to break retrogressive cultural hegemony.
“Also, this will create new artistic territory, construct and deconstruct ideologies and ultimately, promote theatre practice and scholarship,” he said.
The don submitted that in a multicultural society such as Nigeria, it is important to learn a little from the cultures, religions, politics, and institutions of other co-citizens other than our own.
He stated that theatre and drama could be utilized to stop problem of insecurity.
According to him, violence has assumed dangerous dimensions as it could be organised and unorganized, domestic, communal, political and religious.
“As a performance of power, the theatrical platform was indeed a call on our leaders to embrace social change as they remove the dangerous uncountable colors and replace same with good uncountable colors in our lives.
“The power of oral performance; theatre of human mannequins, musicians and the musicality of election campaign, live theatre and literary contraptions, cinematic tradition and the home video industry.
” Radio and television jingles have been used to promote, mobilize and re-orientate the Nigerian masses on the essence of political theatre in a democratic society,” he said.
Adeoye submitted that the theatre is now playing important roles in the development of the Nigerian economy through Nollywood and others within the creative and cultural industries. (NAN)
