“The Madness That Cures My Land” To Be Premiered In Lagos And Abuja This December 

“The Madness That Cures My Land” To Be Premiered In Lagos And Abuja This December

The functional role of live theatre is to be spotlighted this December as the latest play by award-winning broadcast journalist and dramatist, Ola Awakan, titled The Madness that Cures My Land, is set to be premiered this December in Lagos and Abuja at Amphitheatre of Freedom Park and the theatre hall of the Cyprian Ekwensi Centre for Arts and Culture on the 3^rd and 8^th of December, respectively. 

This is the first time a play will be staged in the capital city and the city of excellence, in the same week and directed by two young prolific theatre directors. Sola Oyeniyi and Ifeanyi Eziukwu will be giving two different interpretations of the same play as the peculiarities of the audiences in Abuja and Lagos are considered.  

According to the playwright, The Madness that Cures My Land is a satire that exposes some social misdemeanors in society through a thematic preoccupation that examines the sanity of some notable stakeholders in society. It touches on the relationship between the family and the larger society. It also inspects the impact and friction of the interactions among family members and how such relationships can balloon into either a bigger crisis for the community or act as a factor for development. 

The Project Manager, Ariyike Alawode added that the play captures the sub-theme of the mental status of many individuals who consider themselves sane but are invariably displaying some seconds of madness in their daily interactions, attitudes, and actions in the larger society. It also slides into the interrelationship between religion and tradition. The play addresses the reality of karma. He added that hundreds of youths will be engaged in the project in December.

Live Theatre Explosion is the project conceptualized by Artswax Communications in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Culture, Social Development Secretariat in Abuja, the National Troupe of Nigeria, Just Theatre House, and other key stakeholders in the arts community in Lagos and Abuja.  

The project is to show live theatre as a viable tool for relaxation, information dissemination, advocacy, and correction of societal ills. Ola Awakan says the idea is to use the arts to enhance creativity and economic growth; foster youth development through engagement; aid youth empowerment and project modern social realities through drama. It is also a form of advocacy for mental health, good governance, cultural awareness, and enlightenment for the residents of Abuja and Lagos and to usher them into the last month of the year 2023. The convener, Ola Awakan says the project is to wet the appetite of theatre lovers ahead of the forthcoming Playfestal event in April 2024, which is geared towards using the theatre to impact humanity through plays.  

Public officeholders, lovers of the arts, and the general public are expected to see the production in Lagos and Abuja.