David Mulwa turns 75 on April 9 this year, which technically means he has to retire from more than 40 years of teaching theatre in Kenya. But anyone who has seen him perform in scores of local sit-coms, films or countless live performances everywhere from Kenyatta University, Kenya National Theatre or University of Nairobi will know he’s not only a great prof. He’s also a brilliant actor and director who has given his heart and soul to theatre.
The one thing Mulwa will never retire from is storytelling as I discovered last week when we met outside his office. His life is like a gold mine of fascinating tales, some of which are in his published novels and plays. But they begin with his earliest memories of a father who, as a church pastor, was witty and charismatic just as his son would grow up to be.
