Geza Ulole
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 31, 2009
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Eric Wainaina’s new ‘Tinga Tinga’ promises a great night of musical theatre
Maggie Karanja both directs and co-stars with Gibson Ndaiga in “Secret Lives” at Phoenix Theatre. PHOTO | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU
In Summary
There’s much to do on the local theatre front in the coming days. Probably the most exciting show scheduled to open this coming Thursday is at The Elephant by the award-winning singer-composer Eric Wainaina.
Tinga Tinga the Musical has been inspired by the storytelling TV show which in turn got its name from the late Tanzanian artist, the whimsical Edward Tinga Tinga who died tragically several years ago.
But the artist inspired a whole movement of Tanzanian painters who create some of the most decorative and delightful artworks in East Africa.
The musical could very well be as big a hit for Eric as was his Mo Faya which went all the way to New York City and beyond. It’s got a strong cast including Eric Wainaina himself together with John Sibi-Okumu (who directed Mo Faya) and Iddi Achieng among others. Claudia Lloyd directs while Mkamzee Mwatela choreographs and Kiko Romeo is in charge of costuming.
So be prepared for a fabulous night of musical theatre, courtesy of Eric and his wife Sheba Hirst who’s producing the whole show.
More great storytelling is happening all day Saturday, March 19 when Positively African produces an all-day children’s storytelling series entitled ‘Re-imagined: A Magical Day of Storytelling. From 11am to 6pm at Kwani Publishers’ place just off Riverside Drive, awesome performers like Checkmate Mido, Faith Nyamboki, Chief Nyamwea, Pip Taylor and Mbutch Mboro (among others) will employ a wide range of styles to tell stories, accompanied by music, dance, percussion and special effects.
Then in the evening from 7pm, “And then, she said…” will star five amazing women storytellers who narrate the novels of five accomplished African women writers, namely Lola Shoneyin, Mariama Ba, Marjorie Oludhe MacGoye and Nadia Mohamed.
The storytellers are Sitawa Namwalie, Mumbi Kaigwa, Patricia Kihoro, Raya Wambui and the chief organiser of the whole event Maimouna Jallow, the BBC journalist who was last seen on stage during the Storymoja Festival.
Meanwhile, Festival of the Creative Arts opens in “Secrets & Lies” March 31 through April 3rd at Alliance Francaise.
Finally, Maggie Karanja and Gibson Ndaiga are wonderful in Phoenix Players’ two-hander Secret Lives which runs through March 25.
Playing multiple characters apart from a bored married couple, Alice and Henry both indulge in secret fantasies that we get to see and so does someone else. Set changes were slow on opening night, but hopefully that’s been fixed.
Quickly, nomasana, MK254, sam999, NairobiWalker, hbuyosh, msemakweli, simplemind, Kimweri, Bulldog, MK254, Kafrican, Ngongo, Ab_Titchaz, mtanganyika mpya, JokaKuu, Ngongo, Askari Kanzu, Dhuks, Yule-Msee, waltham, Mzee Mwanakijiji
Maggie Karanja both directs and co-stars with Gibson Ndaiga in “Secret Lives” at Phoenix Theatre. PHOTO | MARGARETTA WA GACHERU
In Summary
- There’s much to do on the local theatre front in the coming days. Probably the most exciting show scheduled to open this coming Thursday is at The Elephant by the award-winning singer-composer Eric Wainaina.
There’s much to do on the local theatre front in the coming days. Probably the most exciting show scheduled to open this coming Thursday is at The Elephant by the award-winning singer-composer Eric Wainaina.
Tinga Tinga the Musical has been inspired by the storytelling TV show which in turn got its name from the late Tanzanian artist, the whimsical Edward Tinga Tinga who died tragically several years ago.
But the artist inspired a whole movement of Tanzanian painters who create some of the most decorative and delightful artworks in East Africa.
The musical could very well be as big a hit for Eric as was his Mo Faya which went all the way to New York City and beyond. It’s got a strong cast including Eric Wainaina himself together with John Sibi-Okumu (who directed Mo Faya) and Iddi Achieng among others. Claudia Lloyd directs while Mkamzee Mwatela choreographs and Kiko Romeo is in charge of costuming.
So be prepared for a fabulous night of musical theatre, courtesy of Eric and his wife Sheba Hirst who’s producing the whole show.
More great storytelling is happening all day Saturday, March 19 when Positively African produces an all-day children’s storytelling series entitled ‘Re-imagined: A Magical Day of Storytelling. From 11am to 6pm at Kwani Publishers’ place just off Riverside Drive, awesome performers like Checkmate Mido, Faith Nyamboki, Chief Nyamwea, Pip Taylor and Mbutch Mboro (among others) will employ a wide range of styles to tell stories, accompanied by music, dance, percussion and special effects.
Then in the evening from 7pm, “And then, she said…” will star five amazing women storytellers who narrate the novels of five accomplished African women writers, namely Lola Shoneyin, Mariama Ba, Marjorie Oludhe MacGoye and Nadia Mohamed.
The storytellers are Sitawa Namwalie, Mumbi Kaigwa, Patricia Kihoro, Raya Wambui and the chief organiser of the whole event Maimouna Jallow, the BBC journalist who was last seen on stage during the Storymoja Festival.
Meanwhile, Festival of the Creative Arts opens in “Secrets & Lies” March 31 through April 3rd at Alliance Francaise.
Finally, Maggie Karanja and Gibson Ndaiga are wonderful in Phoenix Players’ two-hander Secret Lives which runs through March 25.
Playing multiple characters apart from a bored married couple, Alice and Henry both indulge in secret fantasies that we get to see and so does someone else. Set changes were slow on opening night, but hopefully that’s been fixed.
Quickly, nomasana, MK254, sam999, NairobiWalker, hbuyosh, msemakweli, simplemind, Kimweri, Bulldog, MK254, Kafrican, Ngongo, Ab_Titchaz, mtanganyika mpya, JokaKuu, Ngongo, Askari Kanzu, Dhuks, Yule-Msee, waltham, Mzee Mwanakijiji
