Hey guys catch a glimpse of the fast-moving, intriguing, and
suspenseful Production Hangmen also
die. It will interest you to know that overwhelming success of the
master’s degree Production directed by Ingenuous AUSTINE LORDLAZ Was adopted by Prof Zana Akpagu ,the Vice
Chancellor of University of Calabar as the 29th convocation command performance.
The pictures below tell more.
THE SUICIDE SQUADE ON ...A SUICIDE MISSION
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Esiaba Irobi was a
distinguished playwright, Poet, Stage Director, Actor, Literary Theorist and
scholar. He was educated at the University of Nsukka (UNN), the University of
Sheffield and the University of Leeds both in England, specializing in drama, Film
and Theatre studies. Esiaba Irobi taught at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka
(UNN), the University of Leeds and the Liverpool J. Moore’s University in
England. In the United States of America, he taught at New York University,
Townson University and Ohio University, Athens. His play Cemetery Road won the World Drama Trust Award for playwriting in 1992 and
the Nigeria LNG Award for Literature in 2010. Esiaba Irobi died battling cancer
on Monday, May 4, 2010 in Berlin, Germany. He is survived by his wife.
SYNOPSIS
OF THE PLAY
Esiaba Irobi’s Hangmen
Also Die as it were, is a spine-chilling tragedy (though not as directed
) that paints a bizarre and horrifying picture of a society in acute
danger of socio-economic and ecological extinction as a result of the terrible
effects of oil exploration and exploitation.
…you see,, the Federal Government
some time ago gave the citizens of Izon State (an oil-rich riverine state)
Millions of Naira as compensation money for the Oil spillage which had ruined
their Farms, Homes and Lives…. but the man they (Sucide Squad) killed, One
Chief Isokipiri Ekekorosima, a Commissioner for Local Government, Rural and
Chieftaincy Affairs connived with Councilors and Local Government Chairman and
shared the Money. No single citizen, no matter how wretched got a Kobo; That was how these boys “The Sucide”
squad stepped in…
DIRECTORIAL APPROACH, STYLE AND
CONCEPTS
The production is experimental;
thus adopts postmodern fancies as core approach and as such employed a pastiche
of different textualities and Media forms as well as simultaneous use of
multiple art, stepping back from reality to create a self-conscious atmosphere
(Meta-Theatre), rejection of high/low art, audience being integral to shared
meaning making etc.The performance was an Eclectic
Theatre which combines many forms, making its delivery via the presentational
performance style: Actions are Audience-centred, elements of setting suggests
location rather than portraying it.Amongst
other things, the directorial concepts and dramatic expressions explored cut
across:
Jerzy
Grotowsky’s poor theatre: Using small amount of Elements to obtain Maximum results
by means of magical transformation of objects through the props and “Multi-functional
acting”.
Bertolt Brecht’s
Verfemdungs Effect: The form of Theatre performance that
does not struggle for a place with reality. Brecht’s view is that theatrical
illusion should be partial so that they can always be recognized as illusion;
that art is not a mirror with which to reflect reality but a hammer with which
to shape it.
Ntozake Shange’s
Choreo-poem: This is a form of dramatic expression
that combines poetry, dance, music and song to deliver a theatrical piece.These
and more are the strands of the concept the Director engaged in his post-modern
interpretation.
A DAZZLING AND CAPTIVATING MOMENT IN THE PLAY:
CROSS SECTION OF THE CHORUS IN ACTION
A CROSS SECTION OF THE AUDIENCE DURING THE PLAY PERFORMANCE
DIRECTOR AUSTINE LORDLAZ ADDRESSES AUDIENCE MEMEBER AFTER PERFORMANCE
QUINTY:EBONYLIFE TV'S DIRECTOR OF SCRIPTED PROGRAMMING DEPT.CONGRATULATES THE DIRECTOR
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Austine
Lordlaz Achoakawa, a Professional Film and Theatre Director is studying for a
Master’s Degree in Directing in the Department of Theatre and Media Studies,
University of Calabar. This fast-rising Director has directed Three feature
films Crossed Fingers, Isabella and the
soon to be 
released Never Say Ajantala
. He has also directed over 18 Theatre plays. These include Geofrey Agbo’s
Gramma Don Do (CROSS RIVER STATE
Inaugural Command Performance for Prof. Ben Ayade led Excos), Tewfik
Al-hakeem’s Not a thing out of Place, Black-Market, Femi
Osofisan’s Aringidin and the
Night Watchman. Apart from directing, he is a writer,
Poet, Editor. His ability to do virtually do everything in Theatre and Film Productions makes
friends tag him: “The Production savvy’’ .
watch out for more mind-blowing creative pieces from this Director as he is about to commence a touring Theatre with the troupe
" THEATRE WAKA-WAKA
released Never Say Ajantala
. He has also directed over 18 Theatre plays. These include Geofrey Agbo’s
Gramma Don Do (CROSS RIVER STATE
Inaugural Command Performance for Prof. Ben Ayade led Excos), Tewfik
Al-hakeem’s Not a thing out of Place, Black-Market, Femi
Osofisan’s Aringidin and the
Night Watchman. Apart from directing, he is a writer,
Poet, Editor. His ability to do virtually do everything in Theatre and Film Productions makes
friends tag him: “The Production savvy’’ . watch out for more mind-blowing creative pieces from this Director as he is about to commence a touring Theatre with the troupe
" THEATRE WAKA-WAKA
