Theatre gets state-of-art makeover as Kaggia play returns

The Kenya National Theatre (KNT) has been undergoing an extreme make-over in the last few months which is almost complete as local artists, accompanying Culture Cabinet secretary Hassan Wario around the facility, saw first-hand late last week when they went to see him about other matters.

“Its completion will be a ‘game-changer’” said Dr Wario referring to the near future when KNT will be fully renovated and the public will see a state-of-the-art theatre, nothing like the dilapidated performance space originally built by the British back in the early 1950s.

The government was fortunate to find a generous partner in this game-changing process. Indeed, East African Breweries Ltd deserves all the credit for footing the bill and bringing in the technical expertise to transform the entire theatre space.

Everything from floors to ceilings to the upstairs bar and downstairs air-conditioning system have been either redone totally or fully repaired. There’s sound-proofing between the spacious upstairs and the downstairs stage; there’s also a total replacement of the sound and lighting systems and even the ladies and gents loos have been redone, including a brand new stone structure situated just next to the theatre itself.

“They’ll be for the public attending outdoor events on the theatre grounds,” said Rooprai Harbir, EABL’s contractor but seconded to the KNT project.

Noting he knows the original KNT contractor, Mr Harbir says he aims to retain the solid substantiality of the original edifice while simultaneously bringing in the most modern materials and technology.

According to Kenya Cultural Centre executive director Aghan Odero, the theatre will have a slightly smaller seating arrangement, “but that’s because there will be more leg room for theatre goers and we’ve followed international standards and specifications,” Aghan said.

Shortly before we went to press, Aghan notified us the new seats have been put in place, so it’s for real that after all these years, the National Theatre will finally be an institution and edifice that Kenyans can proudly claim as their own.

“I spent much of my youth at the National Theatre,” recalled Dr Wario as he reminisced with local artists. I was an actor, so like you I’m also an artist,” added the SC, addressing not performing but visual artists concerned about a whole other drama unfolding around the Venice Biennale (often deemed the “Olympics’ of the visual arts) and the so-called Kenya Pavilion which is currently being run by Italians and featuring Chinese art.

The Kenyan artists had come to ensure Dr Wario understood they are not amused being misrepresented by foreigners, especially as the same scenario transpired two years ago yet nothing has changed.

The local artists wanted government support to ensure the Kenya flag, Kenya name and even the so-called Kenya Pavilion be removed from the Biennale.

Dr Wario endorsed the artists’ proposal that they jointly write letters to the Biennale, the Italian government, the Italian businessman who allegedly financed the ill-advised pavilion and most importantly to the Kenyan Embassy in Italy whose task it will be to ensure those demands are met.

At a Press conference early this week, Dr Wario read the jointly-composed statement disassociating the Kenyan government from the said pavilion and calling for the name to be changed and the Kenya flag removed.

During discussions artists wanted clear-cut assurance their demands would be met in Venice. Some even plan to be at the Biennale opening to see for themselves that their embassy follows through and removes the flag and name from the pavilion. Dr Wario stated emphatically the government follow-through is assured.

Meanwhile, closer to home, PAWA254 has also been renovating its space and constructing its own theatre on the floor just below the third floor space PAWA254 occupies at the YMCA Africa Alliance.

To celebrate this other ‘new beginning’ in Kenyan theatre, the official inaugural performance at PAWA254’s new stage will be a freshly revised version of John Sibi Okumu’s award-winning historical drama about one of Kenya’s leading (yet least understood) freedom fighters Bildad Kaggia.

Kaggia will open April 28 with the original cast, including Harry Ebale as Kaggia, Lydia Gitacha as his longsuffering adoring wife, Bruce Makau and Yiirmo Mwaura, two young filmmakers keen to understand Kaggia the man and Mau Mau leader.

But this weekend, spoken-word artists with Fatuma’s Voice will precede Kaggia and make their comeback (without fanfare) also at PAWA254.

Meanwhile, last night Festival of Creative Arts opened in another frolicking comedy Don’t Let Me Go, running through the weekend at Alliance Francaise.

Finally, Phoenix Players open tonight in Touching Tomorrow.