Veterans return for ‘Mother’s Tears’

Sunday, May 10, is Mothers Day and one of the public events to mark the occasion is a play titled Mother’s Tears to be staged on May 9 and 10 at the National Theatre.

The play was written by well-known filmmaker, Kwaw Ansah, some 50 years ago but the elements in there are still relevant to these times.

 It will be performed by the National Drama Company in collaboration with United Artists. Vivian Boateng, a Master’s in Directing student at the School of Performing Arts, University of Ghana at Legon, is directing the play.

One of the toasts of the play is the return of many veteran actors to the stage.The cast includes experienced actors like David Dontoh, Edinam Atatsi, Dzifa Glikpoe, Abi Adatsi, Agnes Dapaah, Solomon Sampah and Fred Amugi.

Mawuli Semevor, Acting Director of the National Drama Company, who is also playing a role, told Graphic Showbiz that it was necessary to sometimes bring on some of the experienced actors to feature in the company’s work. 

“Some actors  who belong to a certain era also have their following and it is important to bring them back to the stage to rekindle memories they have made on theatre lovers over the years,” Semevor said.

The director of the play has been very expectant of the production. “After reading the play, I realised there were some interesting characters, moments and lessons in there which are relevant today,” says the director.

The play which is about Araba Aketsewa, the wife to Kweku Amponsah, a traditional fisherman, is unhappy and troubled. Her grief has not only to do with her painful role as an elderly wife and a mother who has been rivaled with a younger woman, young enough to be her husband’s daughter, but the said maiden was once the playmate to her son and who the son intends to take as a lifetime partner.

What happens then as a mother strives to suppress her anger, pride and jealousy over having to be sharing the same man with another woman?