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The Trials of Brother Jero
April 2009
Bisi Adigun and Wole Soyinka in
Paulo Alto California in 2006
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“It’s
not good enough you stay outside and propagate
your name and person. If you have gained so much
affluence, influence and knowledge, come here
and display it”.
Professor Yerima,
Director General National Theatre of Nigeria
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“Bisi
came, Bisi saw,
Bisi conquered.”
Professor Duro Oni,
Dean Faculty of Arts, UNILAG.
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In April this year Arambe Productions artistic
director, Bisi Adigun, with an Arts Council of Ireland’s
Training and Travel grant awards, travelled to Nigeria to
do a one-month residency programme with the National Theatre
of Nigeria under the headship of Professor Yerima. While in
Nigeria, Adigun directed his modern version of Wole Soyinka’s
The Trials of Brother Jero with National Theatre’s actors
and the students of the Creative Arts Department of University
of Lagos (UNILAG).
The Production which is a tripartite collaboration
between the National Theatre of Nigeria, the Creative Arts
Department of UNILAG and Arambe Productions previewed for
two nights at the Main Auditorium in UNILAG before opening
for a three week end run at the National Theatre in Iganmu,
Lagos. The Production was also Nigeria’s National Theatre’s
offering for the Democracy Day on the 29th of May 2009.
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The New Playboy (a reading)
June 2006
Roddy Doyle and Bisi Adigun co-writing
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I
think it is a very exciting piece of work, and exactly
what the Abbey should be doing in 2007. At a time when
this country isn’t very sure of what it is, where
it’s come from or where it’s going, your
play tells an age-old story in a new and challenging
way. In a sense, I felt like an immigrant myself when
I was reading it....looking at something that was at
once familiar, and at the same time, far away. I found
it very unsettling. “
Sean McGinley, Irish actor |
Arambe’s new version
of The Playboy of the Western World is an Arts Council
funded
modern reinterpretation of J M Synge’s The Playboy
of the Western World. To coincide with the centenary
of the first production of this Irish classic in the Abbey
in 1907, Arambe commissioned its founder and artistic director,
Bisi Adigun and Irish award winning (1993 Booker Prize Winner)
to work collaboratively for ten months in 2006 to adapt The
Playboy. To further contribute to the development of
the new version, the Abbey, Ireland’s national theatre
facilitated a reading of the first draft in June 2006. The
dream cast included award winning actor, Owen Roe, Karl Sheil,
Judith Roddy, Lisa Lambe, Elaine Symons, Aoife Duffin, Simon
O’Gorman, Cathy Belton, Emmet Kirwan and Arambe Productions’
Gabriel Akujobi and Yomi Ogunyemi. For further information
on the planned production go to Watch
This Space
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Not so Long Ago
December 2005
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"I
would like to take this opportunity to thank you and
your organisation for your enthusiasm and commitment
in seeking to make Ireland a more inclusive intercultural
society. Indeed the success of the National Plan depends
on groups like yours and all sectors of Irish society
taking a positive and proactive role in combating racism."
Former Tánaiste:
Michael McDowell. Letter to Arambe, 2 September 2005
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Not So Long Ago
was our sequel to Once Upon A Time, funded
by the National Action Plan Against Racism. 12 of the 16 participants
who originally took part in the Once Upon A Time
developmental project were joined by four professional Irish
actors and worked together for 10 weeks on the dramatisation
of a selection of stories based on personal encounters of
African immigrants with Irish people and vice versa.
Award winning Irish writer, director and actor, Terry McMahon
was invited to facilitate two workshop sessions on playwriting
and acting with the group. The whole process culminated in
a performance showcase followed by a Q&A session on Saturday
18 December in The Project Arts Centre.
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Once
Upon a Time
May 2005
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“It
made me feel so proud of who I am and where I come from.
It opened my eyes to the cultures of other Africans.
It would get to show that Africans are not only about
being asylum seekers. That we come from a place
rich in culture and heritage it will open people’s
eyes.”
Edda Gombedza. an African
audience member
“There is far more to African
theatre than we are given to believe. Many rich and
variety of cultures to be represented and explored [….]
we need Arambe to educate and understand our new multicultural
society of ourselves”.
An Irish audience member
“No pretension whatsoever. Very
refreshing, honest theatre. Back to the roots of storytelling.”
An audience member |
Once Upon A Time
was funded by Arambe’s first Arts Council revenue grant
and it was a series of workshops culminated in a final performance
showcase. This was a series of workshop through which participants
had the opportunity to research and adapt for a stage presentation,
a selection of African moon lit stories. Theatre directors
who were invited to work with the group were Jimmy Fay of
Bedrock Productions, Raymond Keane of Barabbas Theatre Company,
Chrissie Poulter of Samuel Beckett Centre and John Martin,
the director of the London based- Pan Center for Intercultural
arts. The sixteen participants who took part in this
project are originally from Angola, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria
and Uganda. The final performance showcase was presented on
May 25, 2005 in O’Reilly Theatre, Belvedere College
to celebrate Africa Day, and it attracted audience from both
the Irish and African communities.
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African
Griot
November 2004
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"Just
a short note to congratulate you on the African
Griot festival. Esiaba and Peter's presentations
were brilliant - I could have listened to them all weekend,
and I really got the feeling that they were delighted
to be part of something new and exciting in Ireland.
So - comhghairdeachas!"
Máirín Nic
Eoin, an Arambe founding member
“After all the work leading up
to the past few days, just a quick note to say thank
you and also to reiterate my congratulations. Had a
wonderful time - insightful, enlivening, vital. Great
to meet Peter and Esiaba. Well done on making it all
happen.”
Oonagh Kearney, African Griot Participant
“I just wanted to send you a
quick note to say thanks very much for the workshop
and congratulations to you on all your hard work. I
really enjoyed the experience and look forward to the
next opportunity I'll have to do the
harvest dance!”
Kerry West, African Griot participant
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African Griot
was an international conference devised to demonstrate the various
elements of African theatrical production by giving both audience
and participants direct experience of the full production process
under the guidance of true modern renowned griots, UK-based
Peter Badejo and Esiaba Irobi of the University of Ohio. First
of its kind in Ireland, it was an exploration and showcase of
the ‘total’ nature of African theatre, incorporating
readings, seminars and demonstrations, workshops and live performances.
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