Adolphe Appia's Directorial Concepts As Footnote for Performing African

Journal of Fine Arts Volume 2, Issue 1, 2019, PP 17-27 ISSN 2637-5885

Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism

Canice Chukwuma Nwosu* Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria *Corresponding Author: Canice Chukwuma Nwosu, Department of Theatre and Film Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria, Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT Theatre directing in the real sense of it is a modern theatre concept influenced by interplay of nineteenth and twentieth centuries’ societal and theatrical forces. Hence, Periodization motivates new directing theories that modify existing practices. Postmodernism as an era is gradually gaining prominence in Africa but approaches and theories that condition the performance of African postmodernism are still embryonic. Consequently, problem of study is lack of theorization of African postmodern theatre directing. Theorization of African postmodern theatre directing through appropriation of Adolphe Appia’s directorial concepts is attempted. Objectives include evolving African postmodern play production approaches and weaving African postmodern theatre directing into utilization of prevalent electronic postmodern performance culture. Compatibility of Appia’s directorial theory with African postmodern directing is examined and appropriated using Whitmore’s postmodern theory as framework. Qualitative research method was adopted. Findings indicated that, Appia’s theory is capable of providing footnote for African postmodern directorial theory. Comparative, but intercultural directorial approaches for performing African postmodernism is recommended.

INTRODUCTION influence of Western modernism on African modernism is not in doubt. Western modernism Victorianism captures the earliest theatrical is a rugged ism apart from producing notable forms; while Modernism as a periodic and Theorists, Playwrights, Directors and Designers philosophical ismprecedes postmodernism. in the West; it also influenced evolution of both Modernism changed the outlook of the theatre African modernism and postmodernism. and interplayed with societal forces to produce Directing as a modern theatre concept is traced innovations in Theory and Criticism, to the experiments of Duke of Saxe Playwriting, Acting, Scenography and Meinienigen. The Duke was a Russian director especially Theatre Directing. Dated around late th th who assembled armature actors and turned them 19 and 20 centuries, modernism produced new into superstars through strenuous rehearsals and directing theories and modified prevalent training. He also influenced other modern approaches to play production. Hence: directors like: Adolphe Appia, Constantine The period was one of great performers, Stanislavsky, Nemivorich Danchenko, Antoine from Garrick to Bernhardt; of smaller, Artaud and so on. more numerous theatres and growing Adolphe Appia was to a large extent influenced audiences; and of the introduction of by Wagnerian ideals, eventually, he became one foot lights, box sets, and historical of the most popular modern directors. Appia‟s accuracy in costume and setting. It is interest in the actor, space, lighting and music important in the history of the theatre makes his directorial theory unique. However, (Otto Reinert xviii). in its uniqueness, the theory shows some Thus, the impact of periodic isms like semblance with emerging African postmodern Victorianism, Modernism, and Postmodernism theatre‟s directorial concepts. Therefore, the across major world theatres of European, focus of this paper is on Appia and his American, Asian and African regions cannot be directorial concepts, as they relate to African ignored in comparative analysis of major postmodern theatre with emphasis on directing developments in these regions. For instance, the African postmodernism.

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African theatre like the Western theatre has AFRICAN POSTMODERN THEATRE DIRECTING passed through eras and periods beginning from AND THE ELECTRONIC CULTURE the traditional, modern and eventually the controversial postmodern era. However, unlike Directing is an area in African theatre that still requires exploration, especially postmodern the Western theatre, Directing as an art of the directing. Though, modern African theatre put theatre in traditional African theatre; which is African theatre on the global map because of its the oldest form of theatre in Africa is not achievements in the area of playwriting, acting distinct from the entire ensemble theatrical and so on, the pioneer artists documented very process. This is because traditional African little in the area of directing. Worst still, the theatre adopts a holistic approach that takes into epileptic development and skepticism that consideration man‟s primordial education that characterize postmodernism in Africa has not bifurcates into cultic and secular educations. helped the theorization and maturation of Hence, evolutionary trends in African drama African postmodern theatre directing. Hence, and theatre provide strong indicators that what is there is need for the exploration of African referred to today as modern African theatre is a postmodern theatre directing in this study. The product of interplay of several forces and first issue that quickly comes to mind in this paradigm shifts. Chukwuma Okoye posits that; section of the study is that the paper presupposes acceptance of a controversial African theatre, practitioners have postmodernism in Africa. Justification of this created, and continue to create telling supposition is however hinged on Mark and widely acknowledged theatrical Fortier‟s discourse on postmodernism where he forms and narratives, and demonstrated says: their absolutely unpretentious and unprogrammatic syncretist and popular … if postmodernism is the condition of traditions. Although working somewhat contemporary culture, all culture within the Western paradigm, most of produced in our time is by definition these practitioners continuously postmodern. To try and single out (any incorporate indigenous and popular forms more than provisionally) certain works of performances, and often engage with for stylistic reasons as postmodern social and political critique (20). while ignoring others is empirically unsound and limiting (120). The emergence of the electronic culture during the modern theatre further widened the creative The earliest beginning of Western post- canvas for the African theatre practitioner for modernism was in form of individual reactions against Euro-American modernism; literally, it more creative experimentations. However, could be interpreted as a movement after African theatre practitioners‟ inability to fully modernism especially with organized explore alongside its experimentations the philosophies that championed the end of emergent electronic culture in Africa gave modernism. Postmodernism as a contemporary modernism the impetus to overstay its welcome. ism, is not limited to philosophical movements. Postmodern theatre practice thrives more with It cuts across Architecture, Music and Dance, the electronic culture for its pastiche and meta- Graphic Arts, Literature and literary theory. narrative approach of fragmentations and Clive Beck says, “It‟s a general cultural mediations. Dearth of postmodern theories that phenomenon.” He posits that postmodernism; can inject new blood into the peoples‟ art is “Have such features as the challenging of another factor to contend with. Consequently, as conventions, the mixing of styles, tolerance of the West transited from modernism to ambiguity, and emphasis on diversity, postmodernism, Africa is still grappling with the acceptance (indeed celebration) of innovation problems of modern to postmodern transition. and change and stress on the constructedness of Changes introduced by the electronic culture reality” (2). especially the proliferation of electronic media Hence, postmodernism could be said to mean that requires digital directing are yet to be post World War II intellectual and cultural harnessed through the praxis of postmodernism. summersault, lacking hierarchical or organized Therefore, this study attempts an appropriation conventions and methodological approaches. of Western postmodernism through the nexus of Postmodernism‟s creative methodology electronic culture for the purpose of directing embodies pastiche, contradiction; as well as end African postmodernism. of an era and the beginning of another just like

18 Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism the “post” in post-colonialism, post- narrative tenets of modernism, postmodernism structuralism and post colonialism. Therefore, in its meta-narrative technique favours parody, there will be no post colonialism without pastiche of media (stage and electronic) and colonialism or postmodernism devoid of recognition of the little in the other. African modernism. Thus, post-modernism is a frantic modernism‟s literary careerism tendency is but determined effort to end the impact of the bereft of essential survivalist and self- grand narratives, and domineering monocultural sustainability potentials as portrayed in their tendencies of modernism which in itself failure to induce a vibrant live theatre in fragmented until it outlived itself. contemporary Africa. Thus, upon the foundation of coeternity of reality and mediated reality Though African postmodernism is to be achieved through the electronic culture the appropriated from Western postmodernism, it directorial concepts of African postmodern has divergent points with Western theatre emerged. postmodernism. For instance, Afro postmodernism, does not recognize the Jon Whitmore‟s postmodern directing theory debunking of truth, complete discarding of text favours the above experimentation, hence, the and communal perception of events. Even study is directly hinged on Jon Whitmore‟s within the context of Western postmodernist, we Directing Postmodern Theatre: Shaping still record divergences in the perception and signification in Performance. Postmodernism presentation of postmodernism by individual offers the contemporary director large space to theorists. For instance, Peter Brooker operate, there is however a continuous recognizes “Franco-American postmodernism” expansion of this spatial phenomenon by (20). Patricia Waugh in her own proposition electronic culture; leaving limitless creative also talks about “Eagleton‟s postmodernism . . . horizon for the postmodern director. This space and Lyotard‟s postmodernism, as the distruptive and the apparatus therein become instruments of element in modernism . . .” (40). There is need communication to the postmodern director. for Africa to be part of this effort to end According to Whitmore, the reason for creating modernism that subjugated and almost eroded and presenting theatre is to communicate Africanism and Orientalism by embracing meanings. These meanings can result in African postmodernism. Unfortunately, African experiences for spectators ranging from sheer postmodernism is suffering rejection and joy profound emotional stimulation to spiritual condemnation at present, partly because it is awakening to intellectual discovery. seen strictly by its critics as a Western concept Understanding how meanings are communicated and partly because of its newness to Africa. The to and assembled by spectators can be of issue of origin, as criterion for rejection or enormous help to the director as he works to acceptances of postmodernism by African translate his individual vision of a theatre theatre practitioners sounds segregational, production into a living, three-dimensional work because universal adoption, acceptance or of art. Theatre in the postmodern sense of it is rejection of theories and theatrical traditions is a here defined in its broadest context as theoretical and polemic process that does not encompassing circus, street theatre, improvised rely on sentiments. Theatre historians reveal performance, and the production of a playscript. that, the Renaissance movement which spread Whitmore reveals that the; like bush fire started in Italy and spread to other parts of the world. Modernism started in France Twentieth-century theatre and its and spread to other parts of the world. critical analysis have most notably Postmodernism also started in Europe and focused on the performance of should not be rejected by African scholars playscripts. Many directors, designers, because it started from the West. However, and performers (some past, many skepticism due to its relative newness is not out current), however, are challenging the of place because African modernism and even centrality and sacredness of playscripts Western postmodernism suffered the same (or at least the dialogue therein rejection at inception. contained). These theatre artists have Postmodernism favours the paradigm shift to concluded that the spoken word-does performance and performance theory rather than not always need to be the central force the traditional interpretation and criticism of text of a performance. They may use and literature that dominated Victorianism and playscripts, new and old, as a place to early modernism. Contrary to the master begin a production, but they do not feel

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compelled to treat the playscript as a According to Whitmore; sacred altar to be devoutly worshiped. Some theatre productions are becoming Instead, these artists are deconstructing richer and more dense as a result of the playscripts in order to speak more revolutionary development of theatre directly to the contemporary audience; technology (computers, lasers, digital or they are finding highly innovative sound, video walls) and the accelerated ways of presenting unaltered scripts in evolution of theatre directors who now altered environments, styles, and more fully understand that performances aesthetic contexts; or they are working communicate on multiple levels with playwrights or performers to develop simultaneously. The new directing scripts through the rehearsal process, approach in which visual and aural rather than the other way round (1). elements often take centre stage (while Postmodernism still uses perfomative linguistic elements are either nonexistent approaches of constructivism and de- or diminished in importance) creates a vibrant and sonorous environment in constructivism not only because they are which more complex meanings are immediate predecessors of postmodernism, but communicated (2). because they favour experimentation and techniques that are electronic culture friendly. The underutilization of the electronic culture Some theatre artists are ignoring playscripts because of the literariness of African modernism altogether; they are developing performances has impaired this paradigm shift towards through experimentation with objects, visual postmodern directing mainly because it has not images, soundscapes, improvisation, or bits and been theorized in Africa. Its theorization pieces of disjointed language or information. therefore should not be oblivious of the This meta-narrative approach of contemporary African directors‟ aspiration postmodernism; casts doubt on group and towards paradoxical, pastiched and electronic colonial mentality but heighten the acceptance based performances that are purely postmodern. of individual truth. Though, Africa believes in Thus, Whitmore‟s theory becomes in this study communal truth, the trend justifies the link between Appia‟s directorial theory and postmodernism‟s inducement of alien cultures African Theatre directorial concepts. as seen in Pentecostalism and the atricalized PRODUCTION CONCEPTS OF AFRICAN THEATER begging cultures in Nigeria. Discourse on production concepts of African Whitmore insists that the language of the theatre theatre and Appia‟s directorial concepts will has to be reinvented as the people of the help the appropriation process. Hence, in this Wooster Group are doing. The Wooster Group segment of the study, these two production is speaking the language that the theatre will concepts are reviewed before the appropriation. speak fifteen to twenty years from new. I‟m Traditional African theatre marks the beginning talking about the vocabulary of stage language, of African theatre; its production concepts of what a set looks like, how lighting behaves, combine with that of modern African theatre to how sound works, how video works. How they produce unique and distinctive production combine to create a total work of art. Quoting concepts which are vital to the successful Peter Sellars, Whitmore states that: The notion staging of African performances. These that a piece is made of all those various production concepts may or may not be the elements is very important, and in the Group‟s same as the western theater production concepts work is the first time that I‟ve seen all of those that condition Appia‟s theory. For instance, elements combined in a really sophisticated way symbolism is a major production concept of to create this Gesamtkunstwerk, where the text African theatre; especially in the use of mask, is as important as the video image is as which is a communicative medium between the important, as the sound, and nothing has actor and the audience. Body make-up, dance dominance although the words are very and mime are highly stylized and symbolic in powerful, They are inventing the only African performances. Hence, long before vocabulary that can deal with the material of the Ionesco and Maeterlinck started the symbolic last twenty years once we understand the movement, symbolism has been a production strangeness (2). concept of the African theatre.

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African theatre operates a form of cooperate Appia maintains that “the old immobile foot directing because of the specialized and intricate lights, wings and boarder lights with shadows areas in presenting African drama example, a painted on a canvass had to go” (149). Appia divination scene or a scene on witchcraft. The sees the actor as the essential element of the use of music and dance has remained part and theatre, he goes further to say; “So it is the actor parcel of traditional African theatre production who is the essential factor in staging; it is he techniques. Meki Nzewi maintains that; “Stage whom we come to see, it is from him that we presentations not structured to, sequenced by, expect the emotions and it is for this emotion vected through, or tippled with music and dance that we have come” (142). or stylized movement is alien to the inherent (African) theatre sensibilities” (433). On lighting and the actor, Appia proposed “free system of lighting from above which will throw African theatre also uses the mask Idiom, make- the actor‟s shadows vividly upon the stage” up, the narrator as well as improvisation. (145). Thus, Appia eliminated scenic realism Moreover, the directors utilize long rehearsals and invented rhythms and patterns more that last between one to six months during appropriate to the rendering of the actor‟s and moonlight nights in traditional theatre the playwright‟s inner dreams. Appia‟s aesthetic performances. The theatre conventions and principles are contained in some of his great concepts of both traditional and modern African works like: Staging Wagnerian Plays (1895) theatre can only be understood and admired and Music and the Art of the Theatre (1899).He against African historical and cultural proposed reality in acting and scenery in these background. works and goes further to say that, “we must ADOLPHE APPIA’S DIRECTORIAL THEORY imitate reality as faithfully as possible.” Having presented a general overview of African The musical form was Appia‟s ideal theatre and its production concepts, it becomes performance. He does not separate music and obvious to look at Adolphe Appia‟s directorial performance. Thus he says: “the object of music theory, his production concepts and techniques should also be the object of the idea”. The idea before appropriating them as footnote for he maintains should be expressed in the actor‟s directing African theatre. Adolphe Appia (1862- movement, controlled by the discipline of 1928) was a French Swiss artist who took his music” Therefore he believes in the “stylizing inspiration from Wagner and conceived his own power of music on stage productions.” (Toby remarkable theatre based on the musical form. Cole and Helen Krich Chinoy, 145-146).Appia As a director, designer and theoretician he was in his production concepts proposes flexibility greatly inspired and influenced by Wagnerian in acting, and staging, therefore he believes in, ideals. Appia was of the opinion that music is “transforming our rigid and conventional the condition to which the other arts aspired. staging into living, flexible and artistic material, Appia worked in Vienna and Dresden. He suitable for any dramatic creation whatever” studied the use of three level scenery and (Toby Cole and Helen Krich Chinoy, 145). lighting to complement three dimensional actors on stage. Appia insists that, painted scenery The production concepts of Adolphe Appia can appears fake on stage. Therefore he proposed a be said to crystallize into integrated aesthetic “musical” stage design which would lift the and artistic production. He does not believe in theatre above the Victorian age and see it isolation of acting and scenery in a theatrical through to visual symbolism which would production, Appia opines that: “It is not by express the inner qualities of a play in the developing in isolation the play of those two modern theatre. Appia‟s directorial and kinds of illusions - as is done on all our stages – production concepts are: Three dimensional that we shall obtain an integrated and artistic scenery, Emphasis on the Actor, Lighting and performance.” He concludes that: the actor, Reality in acting and scenery, The use of functional music, Flexibility in acting and The two basic conditions for an artistic staging, Integrated aesthetic and artistic presentation of the human body on sage production. are lighting that brings out its plausibility and a harmonizing with the According to Appia, the earlier scene painted setting which brings out its attitudes and diminished the world to the size of the stage. movements (Toby Cole and Helen Appia shows in his three dimensional scenery; Krich Chinoy, 139). how to expand the stage to become the world.

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Appia‟s theories and innovative works technique into two: as a process or product. contributed immensely to the emergence of Furthermore, she informs that: “As a product, an Western modernism‟s directorial concepts. adaptation can be given a formal definition, but Hence, discussion on modern theatre directing as a process- of creation and of reception- other cannot be complete without reference to aspects of what is to be adapted, who is the Adolphe Appia. adapter, why the adaptation, how to adapt, where the adaptation is taking place, and when ADOLPHE APPIA’S THEORY AS A FOOTNOTE the adaptation is taking place have to be FOR AFRICAN POSTMODERN DIRECTORIAL considered (15- 16). Furthermore, Hutcheon THEORY posits that, the process of literary adaptation Appia bestrides Victorianism and Modernism as involves; “… a process of creation, the act of his works run through the end of the Victorian adaptation always involves both (re- theatre to the beginning of the Modern theatre. )interpretation and then recreation; this has been However, the relevance of Appia‟s directorial called both appropriation and salvaging, theory to postmodern directing is not in doubt, depending on your perspective.” (8) Modern especially in the area of lighting, music and the African artists including third generation actor. The new media addressed by Jon Nigerian playwrights like Femi Osofisan, Whitmore in his postmodern directing depends Emeka Nwabueze, Sam Ukala and so on also on lighting which Appia emphasized. Hence, the portray in some of their plays that adaptation two theories provide the nexus for adaptation involves reformatting, reinterpretation, and appropriation of Western directorial theories translocation, recreation and even some kind of for the evolution of African postmodern theatre appropriation. Live theatre in Nigeria needs directing in this study. Adaptation and salvaging and appropriation of postmodernism appropriation are known and popular creative for the revival of public performance in Nigeria. techniques in African theatre practice. Though adaptation is more embracive than According to Julie Sanders; “Adaptation and appropriation, the two terms are not antipodal Appropriation are, endlessly and wonderfully since adaptation process does not preclude about seeing things come back to us in as many appropriation. Literary or theatrical forms as possible” (160). appropriation in the context of this study is seen Therefore, adaptation stands out as one of the as the replication of what exits in any dominant and most influential theatrical environment, genre or medium in another techniques adopted by modern African artists geographical location, genre or medium. for creation and recreation of literary and Adaptation and appropriation are important theatrical forms. Looking at the role of creative techniques utilized by modern and adaptation in the evolutionary process of postmodern African artists in their creative modern African theatre, one may be tempted to enterprises even though there are litany of conclude that like the neoclassicists; criticisms against adaptation and appropriation, achievements of modern African dramatists are thus they constitute topical critical issues in achievements in adaptation. Adaptation is the African theatre practice. Glaringly in African transformation of a work of art into another theatre practice and creative writing discourse; form or medium or translocation of literary originality, fidelity, coherence, retention of materials from one geo-enclave to another. The meaning constitute arguments against most meaning of adaptation in the theatre is adapted African works weather they are plays, influenced by the meaning of the root word theories or productions. The pertinent adaptation in the biological sciences. It is among impression that most of the movements that biological terms that enable survival of characterized modernism do not have their organisms during adverse conditions in their strands in Africa fueled the skepticism that environments. The importation of this term into heralded the adoption of adaptation and the humanities accounts for the survival of appropriation techniques by African artists. variety of literary materials in the arts especially Therefore, adapting and appropriating the theatre. Linda Hutcheon posits that; “… trappings of these foreign movements and adaptation is actually very difficult to define… models to Africa made some critics label such because we use the same word for the process literary products as inferior. The quality of some and the product.” (15) Hutcheon invariably, of the adapted or appropriated African works divides the process of defining and like Wole Soyinka‟s Bacchae of Euripides, Ola understanding adaptation as a dramatic Rotimi‟s The Gods are not to Blame Osofisan‟s

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Tegoni and a host of others debunk appendage director. This he achieved through the musical of inferiority on these products and reveal that concept. Semblance of Appia‟s directorial the products compete with Western and Oriental concepts to African theatre directing in terms of plays. presentation and performative techniques especially functions of space, music and Barthes‟ postulation on adaptation debunks any emphasis on the actor is interesting. inferiority appendage to adapted works, he posits that; “any text is an inter-text” (39). Major divergent areas between the two Barthes strongly asserts that, the works of production concepts are in the area of visual previous and surrounding cultures were always symbolism in terms of scenery, mask, make-up present in contemporary theatres. Julie Sanders and costumes. There are sharp differences in makes it much clearer below when she insists these areas; African staging techniques show that; “Literary texts are built from systems, scenic symbolism; the actor moves with scenery codes and traditions established by previous on his body, so there is mobile and symbolic works of literature. But they are also built from scenery. Though there are elements of three systems, codes, and traditions derived from dimension scenery in African staging companion art forms” (3). techniques. African shrines and arenas are dominant staging venues, the carved figures These postulations are the primordial praxis that decorating the shrines and arenas are also three forms the basis of the significance and dimensional sceneries. The “Ikoro” and other objectives of this paper. Thus, the paper seeks to metal and wooden gongs are all three debunk biased and negative idiosyncrasies as dimensional sceneries, since there are little or no well as inferiority complexes, skepticism and scenic paintings, scenery like in Appia‟s subjugation surrounding appropriations and production concepts are three dimensional. adaptations in African theatre practice. There is no doubt that, the two theatrical techniques are African theatre operates with both cooperate and both interpretative and creative techniques for dictatorial directors, while Appia proposes a interrogating existing materials and are therefore single director. Though Appia propounded the appropriate for this study that involves both concept of “a single artist controlling the reformatting and translocation. Moreover, their interaction of light, music and movement” he usage and applications are not peculiar to does not see this role which he assigned to the Africa; it cuts across epochs in global theatre director as “despotic” since he refers to the history as reflected in some Western and director as “the leader of an orchestra”, he Oriental theatrical practices. Therefore the inadvertently recognizes the importance of researcher insists that cultural structures are cooperate directing which is a major feature of often replicable or obtainable in different African theatre. geographical locations therefore, if a particular Similarly, the use of music is vital in both culture is quick to record in its structures other African and Appia‟s theatre, while Appia talks cultures or appropriating it in a locality with of the stylizing power of music; Nzewi proposes similar structures; it does not question the functional nature of music in African originality, subjugate or make inferior such performances. Therefore, music is a major theatrical products. Rather, it is an effort feature of both African theatre and Appia‟s towards inter-culturization through comparative staging techniques. Moreover, in African satire analysis. and lampoon performances music is the “object Hence, this paper through qualitative method of of the idea.” Music controls actors‟ movements research and theoretical premise of Jon in African performances as proposed by Whitmore portray how Appia‟s directorial Adolphe Appia in his directorial theory. Hence, theory provided footnote for theorizing African when one watches an African performance and postmodern directing for the revival of the imagines the unifying role of music in the declining live theatre in Africa. ensemble, one begins to wonder if Appia borrowed his musical concept from Africa; Adolphe Appia in his books laid down the because music, dance and the performer (actor) foundation of modern stage practice; he are essentials of performance in African theatre. supplied the aesthetic principles for the modern designer in the Western theatre, Appia aimed at The use of the mask idiom and the narrator are combining those arts of the stage which are other remarkable differences; between African usually regarded as separate. He assigned the staging techniques and Appia‟s. It is not that role of unifying all the arts of the theatre to the Appia ruled out the use of mask and the narrator

Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 23 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism but they did not receive emphasis in his theory though a modern theatre theory has directorial concept. In African theatre the mask convergent and divergent points with African Idiom creates metaphysical aesthetics while the theatre production concepts, both has narrator is an actor; his role is between the postmodern potentials if purged of Euro- archetypal characters and the participating American modernism‟s master-narratives. The audience which is also part of the theatrical purging process requires multicultural action. theorization of African postmodern theatre directing carried out by the researcher under the Both concepts are realistic in nature and can be next sub-head. Hence, Whitmore‟s postmodern said to belong to the realistic directing style theory provides the nexus for this polemic which Appia did not oppose. Appia affirms in analogy aspiring towards a multicultural but his techniques that, “we must imitate reality as postmodern merger appropriation. faithfully as possible”. The African directorial concept is a middle course between reality and AFRICAN POSTMODERN DIRECTORIAL THEORY symbolism, hence, there are attempts to capture Using Appia‟s theory as a footnote and reality in the use of cooperate directors who Whitemore‟s theory as a theoretical premise, the may be real diviners in the arts of divination; researcher through appropriation proposed the while the use of mask is a symbolization of the following: as conventions and performative dual worlds of the ancestors and the unborn as techniques of African postmodern directing. well as their inhabitants. Like the Western realists, African realistic directors make  Non compartmentalization of Occidental, apparent decadent symbols come to life. Light is Oriental and Afro-drama and theatre not completely missing in African theatre conventions. directing, what is obtainable is the use of natural  Unification of traditional, classical, popular light: sunlight or moonlight which serve the and folkloric theatre aesthetics. purpose of illumination. Artificial lighting sources like bonfire and local lamps are also  Use of symbolic, metaphoric, ironical, used for illumination. Thus, Appia and African mythopoetic and vernacular languages. theatres‟ directing approaches aim at naturalness  Combination of conservatism and and reality in directing, acting and scenery. experimental styles. Flexibility in acting and staging proposed by  Unification of the stage and electronic media Appia is also obtainable in African theatre in a single production directing. It suits the African arena or ¾ stages and can easily be realized through African  Use of mono scene, application of causal and staging techniques. Performance venues in fragmented plots. African theatre are arena or thrust like stages or  Adoption of total theatre‟s processional, theatres in the round; processions are easily multiple presentations and spontaneity. realized. Though proscenium forms emerged with African modernism to limit this flexibility,  Revival of myth, carnivalesque, folkloric and they are mainly seen at the educational minstrel procession and mobility. institutions. Flexibility in the actor‟s movement  Use of sporadic action and pastiche on the African stage is controlled by the use of techniques. functional music and dance. The specious arena stages make room for unrestricted movement  Utilization of diffused concept of African and audience interaction which results to mutual heroism. experiencing between the performers and the  Use of chaotic formations and contrast audience. Hence, this flexibility in African variables. performance breeds bilateral exchange of feelings which Appia also achieved in his  Aspiration towards creativity and sub- staging techniques. ordination of conventional authenticity. Integrated aesthetic and artistic production  Emphasis on dualities and vicissitudes of proposed by Appia is also achieved in African life. theatre directing through music and dance. World theatre had known regional dichotomy Similarly, African performances are total and from the beginnings of organized society, to the integrated artistic and aesthetic productions. The contemporary theatre. Monoculturalism created above comparative analysis reveal that Appia‟s gulfs and provided fertile grounds for racism to

24 Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism thrive. Consequently, dichotomies of race, Aristotle created conventions for Classicism and religious crises and power play by „strong men‟ the Classical theatre‟s conventions provided have been part of the predicament of man since point of departure for modernism thus ushering the emergence of the organized society; but in new conventions. Similarly, formism is but an never has it been so fierce, wild, and as assemblage of forms, while free-formism does confrontational as it has been in the present not recognize forms. It discards conventions to society. They are the bane of Africa, the Arab create conventions but within the fluidity of world, the Eastern block and the West. These creative freedom and directorial license. The chaotic traits and unrests are wide spread now outcome is that techniques are intermingled to and are tearing nations apart. In fact the entire present scenes from stage performances and global community is sitting on top of a time electronic media in causal plots or fragmented bomb, and hence its life span is at the mercy of plots in a single play or performance. It is also a foreshadowed catastrophic explosion. Afro expected that the dramatist structures his texts postmodernism is on a rescue mission to salvage with the intent of making them amenable to total the world with its multicultural performance theatre‟s processional, multiple scenes forms. Patrice Pavis says that, intercultural presentations, spontaneity and eventual merger theatre creates hybrid forms drawing upon a of stage and screen. Processions are cherished more or less conscious and voluntary mixing of for their spiritual munificence, multiple performance traditions traceable to distinct presentations, accommodates conglomeration of cultural areas. The hybridization is very often genres; while spontaneity accords to the actor such that the original forms can no longer be personal initiative skills, improvisation and distinguished (8). creative ingenuity, stage and screen merger break barriers and expand patronage requisite Afro postmodern directing aspires towards for the revival of the live theatre. building bridges across these gulfs through a global intercultural crusade that harmonizes Mobility is the magic word of the revival “Afro-Occi-Asian” theatre conventions and strategy- A mobile Afro postmodern theatre evolve multicultural forms that show peaceful hinged on carnivalesque and minstrel mobility co-existence of Blacks, Coloured‟s and Whites blended with performative techniques of the as well as admixtures of traditional, Christian, Pulpitic and Beggars‟ theatres should be the Moslem and Hindu worships in a single Afro postmodernist practitioner‟s magic wand performance. This practice also injects vibrancy Afro postmodernism‟s presentations dwell on into live performances to enhance the revival of conglomeration of genres with major plot, sub the live theatre in Africa. Performative plots, main dramatic actions and shreds of techniques of African theatre directing should actions in order to accommodate all, some emphasize the unification of literary, popular actions are intermittently, presented and folkloric theatre aesthetics in a single sporadically, amidst linear and causal actions. performance. Developmental trend and historical periodization of the Nigerian theatre Characters share the burden of dramatic actions reflect these differentiations which erect rigid evenly in a diffused concept of Afro heroism walls that hamper fluidity in creativity. For manner so that each character carries a instance, the dialogic nature of the literary reasonable percentage of the burden of the theatre has not encouraged maximum utilization dramatic action of the performance without of mime, metaphorical, ironical, mythopoetic necessarily shading the importance of other and vernacular languages by the Afro characters. The chaotic nature of African postmodern artist. These theatrical devices are societies and her characteristic contrast variables more economical, less verbal and embody of good and evil, progress and retrogression are strong actor- audience communicative codes. emphasized in Afro postmodern performances. They help the director put the message of the Creativity is the focus of African postmodern play across. theatre; therefore, it glorifies individual, Conservatism preserves dignity, while collective and communal creativity. It is experimentation opens new horizons: both are important to note that creativity here is governed important creative tools, but if used singly, they by the free creative spirit and devoid of could lead to polarization. Hence both should be conventional authenticity that fetter combined to retain aspects of the old used in experimentations. The postmodern creative creating the new. Rules fetter creativity; revolts spirit emphasizes the dualities and vicissitudes break conventions but yet create conventions. of life prevalent in the creator‟s environment.

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Sometimes a whole lot of actions are presented process familiar and unfamiliar situations to the in a mono scene, simultaneous or tripartite audience. Familiarity which is presenting what staging. the audiences already have knowledge of establishes the pedestrian from which the Theatre is an eclectic and dynamic art; however audience rides to popular understanding of its eclecticism and dynamism are conditioned by situations until unfamiliarity gestalts their societal forces. For instance, Soyinka‟s Myth, individual ego and opens up a wider horizon Literature and the African World that capable of postmodern thought. emphasizes procreation, reincarnation and ancestral worship; dominated modern African The need for a postmodern theory or theatre practice because, it was compatible with performances is based on either the absence of the societal forces of the period. Moreover, African postmodern theories or the weaknesses Africa was still in search of an identity and no of the existing theories. It is to cater for weak critic could have questioned the centrality of groups, communities, who are marginalized or Soyinka‟s adjudicatory icons to modern African subjugated, but optimistic of a collective change literary postulations. However the impact of of fortune. African postmodernism‟s meta- Western and Eastern religions, civilization, narratives are compatible with experimentation science, technology and industrialization in and individual perception of truth. Africa, have brought enormous pressure on the relevance of Soyinka‟s adjudicatory icons to the CONCLUSION existential essence of many Africans in a Appia in his outstanding production techniques contemporary African society fragmented and is among those who laid down the foundation balkanized by colonial and post-colonial for the modern theatre stage practice through maladies. How many African Christians believe concretization of Wagnarian ideals. However, in ancestral worship and reincarnation now? his staging techniques were boosted by the use Soyinka‟s modern African theory served the of electricity and the type of theatre architecture demands of its time and supported a personality of his time. While some of his techniques can be theatre that is now in conflict with inter- realized in African staging, most of the African culturalism. Afro postmodern directing theory directorial concepts cannot be actualized on the rooted in Appia‟s theory and hinged on western theatre architecture. Whitmore‟s theory, transcends boarders and is therefore a hybrid. It breaks bounds and builds The study however reveals the adaptation of bridges across gulfs, steps, over mountains and Appia‟s production techniques for the evolution is capable of dropping rafts into seas to enable of African postmodern theatre directing theory its aesthetics and spectacles float from shore to that can support the production of African plays shore. In the words of Jean-F Lyotard, since Appia‟s directorial concepts are similar to Postmodernist aesthetics radically rejects: what we have in traditional theatre production “Mimesis, organic unity, consensus; it offers concepts except a few like Appia‟s “light on the multiple perspectives which ostentatiously and actor techniques” which Whitmore‟s theory dramatically refuse to coalesce or resolve into helped us to appropriate. some transcendent or more profound whole” (27). Summarily, western theatre architecture The African Postmodern directing theory is influenced Appia‟s production concepts and is performance oriented and embodies multiple therefore responsible for the divergences perspectives which the Igbo egalitarian between the two theories studied. Therefore, worldview offers the contemporary global Appia‟s theories like African postmodern society ridden at present with crises of theatre directing emphasise actor and acting as terrorism, economic recession political well as dialogue and lighting as source of quagmires, religious fanaticism and racial illumination. discrimination all induced by mono-culturalism. Igbo hospitality, nationalism, itinerancy and The researcher therefore recommends that: the dynamism are panaceas for the multicultural present African society requires a theatre experiment. architecture where African production concepts can be realized. Therefore, a periodic exploration of the Igbo worldview buttresses the need for plays written However, because of the unique nature of to capture positive and negative but unfalsified African theatre, the use of lighting aesthetics, images of a suffering society, portraying in the symbolism, music and dance coupled with the

26 Journal of Fine Arts V2 ● I1 ● 2019 Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism use of mask, and make-up should be blended [7] Nwosu, CaniceChukwuma. Postmodernism and and intermingled comparatively for the Paradigm Shift in Theory and Practice of intercultural postmodern theory that was Theatre. Onitsha: Eagleman Books, 2014. evolved. [8] Nzewi, Meki. “Music, Dance, Drama and the Stage in Nigeria.”Drama and Theatre in REFERENCES Nigerian: A Critical Source Book. Lagos: [1] Appia, Adolphe. “Light and Space”. Directors Nigerian Magazine, 1981: 433 - 456 on Directing: A Source Book of the Modern [9] Pavis, Patrice. “Introduction: Towards a Theory Theater. London, Peter Owen, 1954 of Interculturalism in Theatre?” The [2] Barthes, Roland. “Introduction to the Structural Intercultural Performance Reader. ed. Pavis, Analysis of Narratives.” Image-Music-Text, Patrice. New York: Routladge, 1996:1-21.. trans. Stephen Heath, Glasgow: [10] Reinert, Otto. Modern Drama: Nine Plays Fontana/Collins, 1977. Edited by Otto Reinert. Toronto Little, Brown [3] Fortier, Mark. Theory/Theatre. London: and Company, 1962. Routledge, 1997. [11] Sanders, Julie. Adaptation and Appropriation. [4] Hutcheon, Linda. A Poetics of Postmodernism: New York: Routledge Taylor and Francis History, Theory, Fiction. New York: Group, 2006. Routledge, 1988. [12] Soyinka, Wole. Myth, Literature and the [5] Linda. A Theory of Adaptation. New York: African World. Cambridge: UP; Cambridge Routledge Taylor and Francis Group, 2006. University, 1976. [6] Lyotard, Jane Francis. The Postmodern [13] Whitmore, Jon. Directing Postmodern Theatre: Condition: A Report on Knowledge. Shaping signification in Performance. Minneapolis: UP; U of Mineesota, 1984 Michigan: The University of Michigan Press, 2012.

Citation: Canice Chukwuma Nwosu. “Adolphe Appia’s Directorial Concepts as Footnote for Performing African Postmodernism" Journal of Fine Arts, 2(1), 2019, pp. 17-27. Copyright: © 2019 Canice Chukwuma Nwosu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

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