Tribalists Have Hijacked NollywoodBy Ernest Omoarelojie - The News
Published: August 29, 2006
Print Lari Williams, veteran actor and script writer, needs no introduction, especially to theatre buffs. But like his generation and stage production, he is an endangered specie. Though he says he has no regrets, ‘Uncle Larry’, as he is fondly called, cuts a figure that tells a sad tale. In this interview with Ernest Omoarelojie, he reflects on his past, the present and contemplates the future.
Q: Stage production is your forte but it is vitually non-existent in the country. What is the problem?
A: The government has not helped the theatre to develop. That, perhaps, is the greatest problem stage production is contending with in Nigeria. For instance, we have only one auditorium that can take some 5000 people. But it is not functioning properly and nothing appears to be on ground to turn things around. If we can make it work so that we can charge an average of about N200 per person, things could turn around and people would be inclined to go to the theatre and watch plays. For now, it is not so, hence we have allowed the Muson Centre to hijack stage performance. As you know, their charges are expensive, going for as much as N2000 or more, but it is the only viable option for those who love the arts.
Q: But how many Nigerians can afford that much for a play?
A: The other factor is that the National Theatre closed down its main auditorium for about 10 years. I wrote about it almost every other month but nothing happened. Thank God for Dr. Yerima as one of my articles, The National Theatre Is Sick And The Doctor Will Fix It, said. We hope that he is going to fix it as he appears to be doing. But we don’t know how soon it will take to do that. Even so, when it is ready, what happens? That is another question that needs an urgent answer. Will it be possible for the National Troupe to be performing there with good patronage? Besides the National Troupe, how many other performers or artistes will have the opportunity to go there and perform? A long time ago, my company was among the groups that performed at the Open Theatre Group. So we had the opportunity to go out there with our troupe to perform and collect the gate takings. Though what came out of it was miserable, such a performance has not happened for a long time. Right now, there is hardly a functional theatre company. That might sound strange, but we are talking about a small theatre group that can produce plays from time to time to act, as a stepping stone for people who train as actors. For instance, in England where I trained as an artiste, you can’t come out of school and say I am an actor. When you come out of school, you must go through such a company where you will be groomed and made to perform regularly, during which time you are given a weekly ticket, which shows that you are performing. This continues until you have 40 weeks of performance. In it will be record of the groups you have worked with, the performances in which you have appeared, and other relevant information. Only after fulfilling these requirements can you come to town and claim to be an actor. When you have satisfied the requirements, then you will get what they call Equity, a membership card that recognises you as an actor. I was a member of Equity because after I left school, I spent two years, going through a lot of productions and performing from one group to another.
Q: At what point did stage production begin to go down in Nigeria?
A: The downslide began shortly after FESTAC. I was not in the country and so I wouldn’t know what happened exactly. When I came in, I remember that something was still happening, particularly in Ibadan because I heard of people like Arsworthy, a British teacher in the University of Ibadan. I also learnt that Wole Soyinka, Dapo Adelugba and lots of others were working there. I went there to see things for myself and I found out that the theatre in Ibadan was actually booming. I saw productions and they were really good. It was clear that they were good, else, it would not have been possible for them to perform at FESTAC. Of course, there were performances after FESTAC that were equally outstanding. We had quality companies managed by people like Fred Agbeyegbe, Adio and myself. There was also another one run by Bassey Effiong, as well as one or two others. But at some point, no one encouraged us and things started dwindling. Nobody could say exactly what was happening as things really turned bad for everyone, culminating in what we have today. At the moment, if you produce a play at the National Theatre, you will get a hall that seats only 670 people. How much will you make with 670 people after paying for the hall, your actors, lighting man and others. All these are important, so much so that at the end of the day, you are in debt because you are never able to break even, let alone talk about profit. So, nobody in his right senses would want to go and produce plays at the National Theatre because its suicidal to do so.
Q: It is believed that home video is connected to the misfortune suffered by stage play?
A: Anyone can say so. And I believe so too. But thank God for home video. If there was no home video, entertainment would have been dead in Nigeria. If home video was not there and people or theatre lovers didn’t have an avenue to satisfy their need for entertainment, what would we have been talking about now? Despite the fact that the home video thing may not exactly be what it should, their presence has ensured that there is a form of entertainment for those who love the art. Be that as it may, the other side of the home video thing is that it has gradually degenerated into a tribal thing. And I say this without any fear of contradiction, it has become mainly an Igbo affair. Look at every home video you see. Look closely at the cast and tell me what you see. You will be lucky if you find even three names belonging to other tribes.
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