Kininso Koncepts stages Adulawo

Alongside groups from Georgia, Italy, Egypt, brazil, Sweden, Greece, Iran and Romania. Kininso-koncepts was chosen to represent Nigeria and West Africa at large.

    NIGERIA/UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS ENTRY AT ISTANBUL KÜLTÜR UNIVERSITY 4th INTERNATIONAL “PROF. CÜNEYT GÖKÇER” THEATRE FESTIVAL,TURKEY         

                                                       (April 12th-April 30th)

ADULAWO (the black race) (written, directed and choreographed by JOSHUA ALABI)is a dance-theatre piece which creatively and artistically discusses and portrays the challenges; problems, day to day activities, occupation, culture/tradition, and general way of life of the black people using Nigeria as it focus point. It’s a total theatre piece with an infusion of poetry, dance, drama, drums, chants and songs to create an excitingly new but contemporary performance art which would be acceptable by global audience of different age groups. At different points, playwrights, dramatists, directors and scholars have written and staged one or two things about the black history or race at large. It must be pointed out that the story of the African race is a wide topic to be treated in just a dance/drama performance rather picking out the major and significant parts which relates to the growth and development of the region today. ADULAWO-the Yoruba word for ‘black people’ here, discusses not the entire slavery process and the colonialist intrusion but the pit which the white masters dug for us which is ‘democracy’ which apparently means nothing to them. The performance projects more of aesthetics in the African set and the boundless communal traits. It depicts total strength in oneness and the need for people to rise into action. IT SYMBOLLICALLY AND CREATIVELY PROJECTS AFRICAN CULTURE. FOR THIS REASON WE LAID MORE EMPHASIS ON THE USE OF PHYSICAL THEATRE, THAT IS, THE USE OF BODY LANGUAGE, DANCE, EXPRESSIONS, SONGS AND CHANTS(FROM DIFFERENT TRIBES IN NIGERIA/GHANA/SOUTH AFRICA AND SIERRA LEONE) AND A LITTLE OF POETRY IN ITS EXPLICATION WHICH WAS COMPOSED BY THE COMPANY.

ISTANBUL KULTUR UNIVERSITY PERFORMANCE PROG. 2013

 Here, we portray hope for Africa but in other not to shatter it the youths should find a way to empower themselves materially, physically and intellectually. Opening our minds to possibilities of a free and fair election, good governance, trustworthy civil servants starts with us if we decide not to partake in any form of corruption. Thus we are safeguarding our future and even that of our children. We view a dream come true land where everything is in place, a place of extreme growth and development, a land where people shed tears not for food, shelter or social amenities but for its amazing level of greatness. A place where relentless and die-hard thinkers and progressive doers are leaders whose sole aim is to serve and safeguard its followers. All these are aspirations which the youths need to understand and then find a way to fit into whatever area would be easy for them to create a positive projection either through the art, politics, civil service or sports etc.
        -kininso-koncepts,2013