Skip to main content

Fela - arrest the music: a truly nigerian musical

Arese Amokpae in the role of Sandra
Arese Amokpae in the role of Sandra
This week is the week of Felabrations. Many music events are celebrating the memory of Fela Kuti across Lagos. Freedom Park has a series of Afro-beat concerts, same thing at the New Afrika Shrine. And this year a musical called Fela - arrest the music, written by Paul Ugbede, in reference to the life of Fela, in Nigeria, during which Fela was a strong critic of the short-comings of successive governments and generals. State coffers where used to fill private pockets, especially with bubbling oil resources being the main government income. Theft, corruption were the essential ways to get rich for the happy few who in the meantime ignored the poverty and the stagnation of the masses.
The musical was played at Muson Centre, the classical musical institution of Lagos. It was musically directed by a Nigerian who graduated at the Muson center itself, Ayo Ajayi, therefore one of the first musical made in Nigeria. This was, in my view, a very good thing because the characters were really authentically nigerian and their nigerian-ness was what made the difference emotionally.
Fela's girls dancing
Fela's girls dancing
The story described the early years of Fela, his lengthy parting from his mother at the airport on his way to the UK, his debut in London as a musical student in 60's (curiously illustrated by a choreography on a music from the 80's), his coming back to Nigeria with his wife Remi and 2 kids, the loss of his job as radio show programmer of a jazz show on the National Nigerian Broadcast and his departure to the US where he met Sandra, his muse that encouraged him to develop his true musical self and become aware of his african-ness. Back in Nigeria, the musical focuses on the tensed relationship with the government and the police who brought some cannabis to his place to arrest him, which he somehow swallowed leaving no evidence to the police. Furious they took him to jail and a judge decided he should have a stomach wash to be able to produce the evidence. Fela fought hard to refuse and he was kept in custody in hope that he would "shit the shit he had swallowed". Somehow with the complicity of over prisoners the police was unable to find the evidence they were looking for.
the man who had eaten the shit
the man who had eaten the shit
The last scene is about the assault of the Kalakuta republic by the army, his mother was thrown by a window from the 1st floor and had to be brought to hospital where she soon was to die. Girls were raped, people beaten-up, the place ransacked and burnt.
the assault on Kalakuta Republic
the assault on Kalakuta Republic
The female characters were excellent musically and emotionally. The man playing Fela lacked some depth, he was the jolly fellow with well rounded muscles, but that's it. His youth friend JK was much stronger. Choreographies and lights were beautiful, the musicians excellent. Overall well worth going to watch it.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Egbe festival in Oyo: celebrating the duality of the living and the spirits

Ladies in pink from the northern procession The Yoruba traditional festival of Egbe Alaso Osun celebrates the celestial community of humanity a nd marks the communion of the world of the living and the “spiritual realm” (the world of the Spirits). During the day, celebrations consists in processions coming from two compounds and going to the palace of Alaafin before returning where they originated. The night before until early morning hours, sacrifices and offerings of food, among other things, are made throughout the town to feed the Spirits. We participated to a procession from the compound o f Ile Adedeji. The procession came from the North towards the palace of the Alaafin to pay him homage and it was joined by another one coming from the South. Both converged at the roundabout in front of the palace walls. The processions where essentially composed of women. The colour code of the southern one was pink while the northern one was blue and brown. ladies in blue from ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Ogiamien family in Benin City: about wood and history

Roland Ogiamien in his wood-carving workshop Wood Roland Ogiamien is a renown wood carver. He is now retired in his home town of Benin City and is now in his 80s. We met him in his simple workshop, a barn opened on the surrounding greenery. A part of the studio is used to store wood pieces and make sure they are well dried. He is using a collection of german ustensils to carve and polish the wood. He spent most of his career working out of Lagos before relocating to Benin. Roland was explaining that the wood he uses today is different that the one he worked on in his early days. Ebony has become rare and wood carvers have had to switch to other types of wood. Traditional heritage is a large part of his inspiration which he translates on wood with his own particular style, exploring various techniques for the finish of his pieces. Roland Ogiamien and two of his favourite masks History Ogiamien is the name of an important royal family in Benin Kingdom. Towards the end of the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

the Alaafin of Oyo: the traditional ruler of the Yoruba

the Alaafin of Oyo and a few wives From the origin of the Yorubas to the Alaafin Olodumare is the name of the Supreme being in Yoruba language. He created  the Universe and all divinities (Irunmole), to whom he had delegated His powers on the creation of the earth and the humanity. Obatala was the first divinity to be created and had the responsibility to complete the creation of the earth and to mold the humans. Obatala in turn created Oduduwa, who the first human being living on the earth and the progenitor of all Yorubas. Oduduwa had one son called Akanbi, who got several sons, the last of which, called Oranyan is the ancestor of the Alaafin of Oyo. The Alaafin of Oyo is the traditional ruler of all Yorubas as he is blood-related to Oduduwa. In contrast the Ooni of Ife is a priest in charge of serving Oduduwa by taking care of the left spiritual property.  He is therefore a spiritual ruler of the Yorubas and not blood-related to the Yoruba progenitor. the...
Post a Comment
Read more