Butere Girls’ to present controversial play today

By George Orido

MOMBASA, KENYA: Shackles of Doom, the controversial play by students of Butere Girls, which took the High Court intervention to lift a ban on it, features on Sunday at the grand finale of the National Drama Festivals in Mombasa.

Students of Butere Girls arrived in Mombasa Friday night in readiness to present the play scheduled for 4pm at Aga Khan High School Hall.

The play will be the last item after St Mary’s High School Yala’s Howls of Jackals.

On Saturday, Butere students, who could not hide their joy, were rehearsing to regain lost time after being recalled from holiday.

“We thank our Principal and parents for the cooperation and support as they let their daughters converge at the school at a short notice and in record time,” said Mr Francis Wanyika, a teacher accompanying the students.

Drama club chairperson Sandra Simani thanked God for making it possible for them to perform along other students who had won in various regions.

Their Matron Elizabeth Ngayi said the development was good for the girls as they had suffered untold torment following the ban.

Meanwhile, Masii High School presented a choral verse Stori Mbaya depicting the psychological torture abducted children face under the custody of kidnappers.

Written by Mr Mutava Charles, the verse empathises with the children and proposes care and support for kidnapped victims.

Simmering war

“Msipotuletea hizo hela, wanenu tawasafirisha mbinguni” (Should you not pay the ransom, we shall send your children to heaven in a jiffy) they announce as the horrified abductees listen in despair.

Furaha Mixed School from Wajir County entertained with their dance, Machii Robaa.

The dance depicts two communities engaged in a simmering war as a result of scarce water resources.

Baharia and Gaweh disagree on how to use a newly dug well and a fight ensues. Later, a voice of reason comes in a mutually agreed formula.

This dance depicted the face of Kenyans stranded after heavy rains and floods in Northern Eastern.

As a result of these weather changes, the students travelled six days instead of four as had been earlier planned.

St Anne’s Girls presented a dance, Nyakega that tells the story of orphans whose mothers die at birth.

The tribulations they face is not just the absence of mother’s milk and cuddling, but also the mistreatment from stepmothers.

In this dance, Nyakega is eventually sent packing by her stepmother, Karendi.

Milliam Wawira choreographs the dance and the cast including Doreen Kagendo, Carol Mukami and Maureen Nyawira gave a credible piece based on Embu idiom.

Nairobi Primary School was in action with their play Silent Spring, which depicts the crucial role of parenting in the life of a child.

Discrimination

With functional costumes and an energetic cast, the play mirrors parents who spare little or no time for their children.

They instead focus too much time on looking for money and spend their days with friends at the pub.

Directed by Mishael Mose Nyang’au and produced by J Karuga, the play stars Zita Amani, Ashley Kahavisa, Faith Matole, and Celine Kagwiria.

Earlier, Burikimo RC School thrilled with their dance, Class Six, depicting children quarrelling over student leadership but a solution is reached after consultations.

Makini School impressed with their solo verse The Letter presented by highly gifted Britney Shimanyula and Produced by Jeff Ambudo. The verse looks at how life standards and economic realities affect education.

It gave a good moment to reflect on the laptop project by the incoming government.

Many have argued that perhaps the grand idea is not after all a priority for a child who has no food, goes back to a house whose door has been locked by a landlord, and has no electricity. Worse still, the child does not have a desk nor book but sits under a tree and jots notes on sand.

And a special category in the festival introduced this year saw a very promising performance by Kaaga School for the deaf who presented Bottom Up, a play highlighting conflict among the leadership as a result of misunderstanding and gender discrimination.

The cast of Lilian Mwende, Jyce Arithi and Kenneth Muchi among others gave it their all as they showed how women inclusion in leadership can enhance and speed up development.

Gianchere Special School For the Deaf presented Angelinah the Deaf depicting rejection and stigma that deaf children face in society.

It is directed by Ever Nyonchama and Jaskah Maroko.

Sunday’s diary: Abu-Dhambi (Play) by Waa Girls High School

Delta of Turmoil (Play) by Riara Springs. Sweet Poison (Solo Verse) by Erusui Girls

Shimuli (Dance) by Chavakali Boys. Ving’ong’o (Choral Verse) by Khamis High School

Howls of Jackals (Play) by St Mary’s Yala. Carolina Kacheliba (Narrative) by Moi University

Safari Tata (Choral Verse) by Kenya Utalii College

Olesarani (Dance) by Naikara BOG. Oselosi (Dance) by Lwak Girls.