From heart-warming comedies from Heartstrings Entertainment and Crony Production, to provoking political and family dramas by Igiza Arts, to musical dramas by Youth Theatre Kenya, to one-person productions like It’s Such a Good Time (written by Sanchez Marley and Emmanuel Chindia), Index One (written by Ngartia and Wairimu Kagishu), an upcoming two-hander Becoming Again… the list is becoming a never-ending scroll.
Actor, writer and producer Shirleen Wangari recently made her playwright debut with Cards on the Table, which she wrote, starred in, and produced. The piece followed two former lovers who spent Valentine’s Day for the first time in police custody.
Shirleen’s writing style leans towards the three-act structure and character-driven stories for audience relatability. Her stories carry inspirations from her own life, observations, and tales from other people.
“The audience reacts to the three-act structure really well. Since people connect with characters a lot and see themselves through them, my works are character-driven. I also find periodical pieces very attractive,” Shirleen says.
Shirleen merged the play with aspects of film through the projection of previously recorded videos, which she believes, with plenty of practice, can help artists create masterpieces. An ardent lover of plays, she intends to watch about 90 per cent of plays this year.
“I find our plays purely honest and profound. Lwanda Otero was one of the plays I watched last year, and it was very impressive,” she says.
Saumu Kombo is another playwright creating a buzz in the theatre arts scene after being the only female playwright nominated in the Best Playwright- Original Script category at the Kenya Theatre Awards for Backstreet 2 with Millaz Productions.
Saumu recently penned Life After Likes, among others, Market Price with Back to Basics Kenya, a murder mystery, Midnight Train, and her first play, Before Dawn, with Liquid Arts Entertainment.
Saumu, who reads a lot of materials by John Sibi-Okumu and Ngugi wa Thiongó, also takes online courses around writing and performing arts to improve her artistry.
Before scripting Market Price, Saumu, the play’s director Wakio Mzenge, and the entire team went to Korogocho, where the story is set, to research and absorb the place. Has she ever had clashing opinions when it comes to creative approaches?
“The director has to be there from the beginning since art is subjective. But also as a writer, you have to hand over the work and trust that the director will do it justice,” says Saumu.
For adaptation plays, she believes that while it is great that artists want to incorporate their own personal touch in already-written pieces, she insists that many original stories need to be told.
Saumu urges aspiring female playwrights to embrace the increasing opportunities and write.
Mavin Kibicho is behind dramedy works like Drums of War, In Sickness and in Health, Loose Ends, Guns and Roses, and Paramour. His stories revolve around real-life experiences such as marriage, relationships, religion, politics, history, and health.
The Son of Man Productions founder borrows inspiration from Ngugi wa Thiong’o, William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Sidney Sheldon.
Michael Mwangi, a playwright from Khalaha, a theatre production company, conveyed themes of cultural identity, self-acceptance, and religion in Are You Zuri?, Three Wooden Crosses, and Repeat After Me. Michael, who utilises double scenography in his works, enjoys reading Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s plays.
Dr Fred is another master of the pen, with plays such as They That Have Missing Marks Shall Not Graduate, The Dying Need No Shoes, How to Buy a House in Kitengela, Mukabira, and Eulogy of a Neat Man.
They explore themes like family, injustice, corruption, death, tribalism, love, and crime, among others. He is inspired by playwrights Francis Imbuga, John Sibi-Okumu, Saumu Kombo, Ngugiwa Thiong’o, Ngugi wa Mirii, Jimi Makotsi, and Oluoch Madiang’.
“I like the perspectives of Francis, especially his style of borrowing from folklore. Ngugi’s community approach, Jimi’s powerful imagery, John Sibi-Okumu for articulating serious issues of Kenya’s history, Martin Kigondu for giving us the characters of our times, and JJ Jumbi for humour in rather serious situations,” Dr Fred reflects.
Most of the playwrights feel that directors should be allowed the creative freedom to bring the story to life, with a few pointing out that sometimes they view some elements in the story differently.
“The moment you give the piece to a director, hand them the creative power. The texts are only a blueprint of what is going to be on stage,” states Michael.