By Ugochukwu Anigbogu
Development Performance Initiative in conjunction with the Department of Theatre and Film Studies took the Nsukka Campus of the University of Nigeria by storm when they celebrated this year’s World Theatre Day.
The Arts Theatre was almost filled to capacity with students and staff dying to experience the explosive power of the theatre in an admixture of drama, poetry performance, music, masquerade displays and drum ensemble.
The show opened with poetry performances and spoken words followed by the mythic and entertaining acrobatic display of masquerades. The audience could not help but rise from their seats to dance with the masked spirits as though welcoming them in their midst after a trip to the great beyond.
HTC dancers who featured in the night gave a good account of themselves with their beautifully choreographed and triumphant dance movements. Precision and graceful symmetry in movements earned them a thunderous applause from the audience.
At the end of the dance Lorenzo who anchored the show was visibly enraptured and admitted to the audience “I think I will switch to HTC phone.”HTC drum ensemble took the stage next and entertained the audience with their performance of several popular Nigerian tunes from highlife to hip-hop, Osadebe to Phyno.
The climax of the night was the performance of Iyke Erojikwe’s Save Our Song. The twenty five minute drama answered the question what is the cost of achieving peace. The play recounted by a narrator tells the story of a community who lost their peace (symbolized by a maiden) after a war. Three youngsters are sent subsequently on a quest to search and save their peace.
Their quest almost hindered by their selfish ambitions and disunity was salvaged when they encountered twoesoteric characters: a strange old man, and Love. Both encouraged and warned them to set aside their personal ambitions if they hope to find the lost song. They were pointed to a straight path of love and unity which led to the recovery of their peace.
The play captured this year’s theme ‘Theatre and A Culture of peace’ and was directed by David igwe who was assisted by Bright Ogbonna. The event was spearheaded by the trio of Nnanna Ndubuisi, Iyke Erojikwe and Richie Umezinwa who are the arrowhead of DPI.
