David Kerr

African Theories of African Theatre

Abstract This article looks at various approaches, by both African and Western theorists, to African theory. It argues that what distinguishes their approaches is the polarities of indigenous/popular and imported/elitist performances. The debates include explorations of indigenous theatres close association with religious ritual, the various theories on the origins and functions of African drama.

Moving beyond developmental paradigms: A case study and analysis of a TfD workshop in Bangladesh

The authors give a personal account of a one week Theatre for Development Workshop held in Manmathapur in Northern Bangladesh, sponsored by the British Council. The practice of short, workshops facilitated by urban ‘experts’ in impoverished rural areas is heavily critiqued. This opens into a broader critique of the manipulative and paternalistic attitudes which often undermine the effectiveness of post-colonial development communications, due to global power imbalances. Modesty is urged for the strategizing and practice of such workshops through a return to the participatory principles of Paulo Freire. The paper describes the advantages of ‘Barter Theatre’ as a methodology which attempts to ensure equality in the exchange of skills and ideas between marginalized, host communities and visiting facilitators. The potential of such intercultural ‘bartering’ is linked both to the injustices caused by, and potential resistance to, globalized communications.

Space and Southern African Community Theatre—Real, Mediated and Symbolic

Performance space is one of the key entry points into theories and practices of African theatre, since it opens up many of the debates about the relationship between performers and audiences. This paper ranges through many different interpretations of the concept of space, from the real spaces of actual performances in African villages to the symbolic spaces conjured by mediated drama on television and radio. This gives rise to speculations about the way valorisation of African participatory performance has influenced developmental communication strategies in Africa. Much of the early part of the article is based on specific performances experienced by the author, which provide a basis for the broader generalisations that follow.