National Troupe stages Death and the Kings Horseman to honour Soyinka

Forum 7 years ago

National Troupe stages Death and the Kings Horseman to honour Soyinka

The National Troupe of Nigeria will, on November 19 and 20 at the National Theatre, stage one of Prof. Wole Soyinka’s most performed plays Death and the King’s Horseman. The play will be staged as part of the troupe’s ongoing Nigeria’s independence celebration performances and 30th year commemoration of Soyinka’s 1986 Nobel Prize feat.

Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of the troupe, Mr. Akin Adejuwon, explained that the staging the play is more propitious because it is 30 years since Africa and, indeed the world, joined Nigeria in celebrating Soyinka’s Nobel Prize for Literature.

‘’Recall that Professor Soyinka became the first African to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986,” Adejuwon said. “This is a feat that is worth celebrating and we have chosen one of his epic plays, which incidentally was written at about this time 40 years ago, to celebrate the performing and literary icon.


“Indeed, we find the play, which has been acknowledged as one of Africa’s best book of the 20th century, fitting to celebrate this living legend and icon.”
Also, Mr. Adejuwon hinted that the November 19 staging would be a command performance that will be hosted by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed. He, however, stated that the play, which will be directed by Mike Anyanwu and performed by some guest artists and artists of the National Troupe will open to a paying audience on November 20.

Adejuwon noted, ‘’We decided on the public performance and indeed to stage the production in line with the Honourable Minister’s drive for improved non-oil revenue generation through a wholly Nigerian cultural economy. The National Troupe will henceforth showcase the play with a view to further fulfilling its mandate to promote and develop our culturally valuable performance products for both local and international markets.”