When actor, writer and producer Shirleen Wangari first staged Cards on the Table on Valentine’s Day, it was a crime and comedy play set in Nairobi in 1992, and romance, wit, and nostalgia ensued.
Now, she’s bringing it back as a Christmas feature film adaptation. This festive heist film is set to premiere on November 29 at Century Cinemax, Garden City Mall.
Shirleen loved the play, only she felt like it hadn’t reached as wide an audience as it deserved when it was staged at the Braeburn Theatre on Gitanga Road on Valentine’s Day; therefore, she wanted it as a film too.
Also, one audience member, Director of Photography Jim Bishop, told her that it could be a movie. She already had the thought, but hearing it from him affirmed it.
Cards on the Table: A Christmas Movie is a reimagined version of her stage play and a continuation of her short film titled 1992 – all produced under her company, Blackwell Films.
The movie follows a former couple, Beth (played by Shirleen) and Jackso (played by Nyakundi Isaboke), who reunite to rob gate collections at a Christmas event to meet their needs in a tough economy, but they end up in police custody manned by Detective Kip (played by Mufasa Poet). Being in custody leads the two to confront the past issues that led to their breakup.
When she looks back, Shirleen sees the play as a stepping stone for the movie. She re-scripted it, and the four-person cast, with Duncan Murunyu as an addition in this film adaptation, delved deep into their characters.
Working with director Victor Gatonye in both the play and film, she wanted to refine what worked and expand what was missing.
“Victor saw things I didn’t, maybe because I was the writer. As a producer, I’m thinking about how to work with a small cast and budget. He was thinking about how to give it life,” she says.
The film’s visuals were just as carefully considered. Working with art director Mariam Valcour, the team recreated that 1992 aesthetic on a tight budget.
They had to decorate a big street, and it took time, carrying decorations in each location to capture that Kenyan Christmas.
Lighting technician Gregory Kiwo used his expertise to make the footage look old. Some scenes were also shot at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), a landmark that stands tall in history.
Further, she looked at old pictures of her mother to get a feel of the Christmas celebrations and outfits of that era.
“When doing a micro-budget project like this one, I didn’t have money to build sets. We looked for real spaces that reflected the old Nairobi,” she describes.
What’s more, the goal was always to entertain, saying that if people are entertained, they’ll stay long enough to pick up lessons in the film. She acknowledges inspiration from filmmaker Guy Ritchie, who creates comedies with serious messages.
“We borrowed a bit from his style. The whole project is daring, as simple as it looks,” she says.
She says she wanted to make people laugh during Christmas and to bring Kenyans back to watching Kenyan movies, like those of Phil Karanja and Abel Mutua with Phil-it Productions.
Shirleen isn’t convinced that other playwrights will adapt their scripts for film, saying that from the conversations she has had with theatre actors, most of them rightfully love the stage more than film. Herself, while she loves watching plays, she doesn’t see herself as a stage actor, and her passion lies in making movies.
After winning Best Producer for Act of Love film at the Women in Film Awards in March this year, Shirleen says the recognition gave her pressure to do more. Her online fans have continuously been curious about her social media absence and what she has been up to.
“I admire people who do great things on social media, but I feel like it isn’t for me. I like chilling. I like creating movies. I’ll do my best to make sure there’s a film every year or every other year,” she