A photo showing some of what went down during the Kampala International Theatre Festival at the National Theatre in Kampala on November 20, 2024. PHOTO/COURTESY
This was a young people-driven festival, where most collaborators over the years, took mentorship roles and the younger creatives drove the process. Most of their productions are thought-provoking and give the audience many things to ponder
On Wednesday evening, the Kampala International Theatre Festival, also known by many as KITF, launched for the 11th time at the National Theatre. And this a big deal for theatre enthusiasts, especially at the time when the belief in theatre's might and power is being doubted. Some have even believed the art is old and outdated in the face of technology and social media.
And it is hard arguing with them, the number of many theatre shows across the globe have been going down, but it was a spiral in Uganda, some shows have hardly attracted even half the auditorium they are showing in and that's even with the star power in the cast.
While launching the festival, Deborah Asiimwe, the artistic director of Tebere Arts Foundation were reassuring anyone that cares to listen that theatre still has something to say even to a younger generation.
And they were saying this in a number of ways from what they curated and the names behind the productions they curated.
This was a young people-driven festival, where most of Asiimwe’s collaborators over the years, took mentorship roles and the younger creatives drove the process. The opening play, The Green Line at the Horizon was written by Lloyd Lutara, and directed by Ibarah Brenda.
Starring John Mary Mukiza, a multi-discipline artist who many have originally encountered with different hats. He's a formidable visual artist/painter and yet has made his mark on theatre and music as well.
In May, he had his take on Phantom of the Opera when the shows were staged in Kampala, he was one of the Phantoms. In The Green Line at the Horizon, he takes on the titular role of Okello, a mental health patient who has been discharged after staying at a mental institution for three years.
He’s being forced to reintegrate, socialise and talk about his demons.
But it’s not Okello we are introduced to, we are introduced to his silhouette, played by Michael Tamale who’s fresh off the Pan Africa TV drama, Prefects.
The arguments in theatre as the show was happening was about Tamale’s role, was he Okello’s silhouette, his darkness, an inner voice or his conscience.
His character usually brought the light to the production, throwing a number of punchlines and jokes into a very intense production, but at the same time, always made the most disastrous and at times helpful decisions for Okello.
The darkness or silhouette was with Okello everywhere he left, he was present at all times to contradict him with a different view apart from when he went to therapy.
This month alone, The Green Line at the Horizon is the second theatre production addressing mental health, although through a different perspective
Mariam Ndagire’s Sewati takes a dig at dementia, though barely looks at the point of view of the patient, yet with Lolyd’s writing, he tells the story from the perspective of the person trying to heal and what they have to deal with.
The play also was Robinah Akello (Sanyu)’s first venture into theatre as a love interest for Okello and she was commendable.
This year's theatre festival looks at embracing a new generation but above all, continue to experiment with spaces. For instance, this year, they have had community shows in Kamwokya and others at Imperial Royale Hotel and Ndere Centre.
Of course, all the spaces present different opportunities and audiences.
Friday's show, People of Mine is a comedy that delves into the complexities of four drunk friends who have been together for years, exploring how evolving identities and diverging paths can either strengthen or threaten the foundation of their inseparable bond.
Most of these productions are thought-provoking and give the audience many things to ponder. However, while speaking to the press before the festival, Asiimwe noted that they had wanted to enter more critical material into the festival, yet, with the regulations of the Media Council, they find themselves censoring, while selecting productions for the festival.
“This year was different, we did receive a lot of good productions, but you could read and clearly see that the Media Council will not let us have the play staged and we had to reject them,” she says.
While opening the festival, this years keynote speech was delivered by Ambassador Angela Wapakhabulo, she said her first love was theatre, however with the demands politics came with, she stepped away but she's back.
Wapakhabulo shared her story of wanting to do theater, against her father's will.
“He did not see why I would go to school to dance around,” she said, “In fact, the first time my father was proud of me was when he was told that students were studying literature using a book I had written.”
She also said that as a woman, this festival celebrates other women such as Asiimwe, Mariam Ndagire, Judith Adong and Irene Kulabako among others.
However, she says this year, the biggest celebration should be Efua Sutherland, the author of The Marriage of Anansewa. Considered the mother of African theatre, she produced most of her works in the 1960s and the 1970s.
This year, Efua would have turned 100.
