Theatre festival comes along
Theatre lovers in Accra can sit back and enjoy a month of activities at the first Ghana Theatre Festival which takes off tonight, September 5 at the National Theatre.
Advertisement
Twenty-One drama and dance productions, four concerts, two children’s variety shows, high school drama competition, a film show, visual art exhibition, a book fair and creative arts workshops form part of the events to be showcased before the festival ends on October 4.
A taste of what to expect from the four-week programme was offered to guests at the launch of the festival which is being organised by the National Theatre under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
Drama dominates the programme. Some of the plays the public can see include Unforgiven by Ebo Whyte, Such is Life by Femi Osofisan, In Man’s Libido by Oswald Okaitei, Firestorm by Sackey Sowah and In The Chest of a Woman by Efo Kodjo Mawugbe.
Others are Second Coming of Nkrumah by Latif Batalima, Mummie, Dimples and Pimples by Nii Commey and The Legend of Aku Sika by Pro. Martin Owusu.
Roverman Productions, Theatre Mirrors, Kokromoti, National Drama Company, Abibigromma, Asembi Productions, Vision Theatre and Kozikozi are among the groups scheduled to perform the plays.
In terms of music, there will be performances by the National Symphony Orchestra and Bernard Amankwah; a competition by bands from the security services the Vodafon Icons talent contest and an Amu Choral Concert.
Acting Executive Director of the National Theatre, Mrs Amy Frimpong, said at the launch of the festival that this month has been designed to show the theatre’s commitment to the creative arts sector and to empower artists and arts organisations to position the arts as a key ingredient in national development.
Other Trending Stories
She urged the general public to participate in at least two activities a week throughout the month.
“Bring your friends and relatives and if you don’t have any, import some from other families and friends,” Mrs Frimpong said.
The Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Ms Dzifa Gomashie, said the creative sector has given Ghana luminaries such as Kofi Awoonor, Kofi Anyidoho, Dr Mohammed Ben Abdallah, Prof Martin Owusu, Efo Kojo Mawugbe, Ama Ata Aidoo and Efua Sutherland.
“These people have raised the flag of Ghana through their writings. Actors have also portrayed who we are through the theatrical performances. So we have made significant contribution to this country and what it has become,” the Deputy Minister said.
There will be a production at 3.00pm and 7.00pm each day in the main auditorium of the National Theatre during the festival period.