Book of Proceedings: the 6th Academic Conference of Hummingbird Publications and Research International on Paving Way for Africa Unique Opportunities for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century Vol.6 No.1 on 30th September, 2015- University of Ibadan Conference Centre,U.I, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria DIRECTORIAL CONCEPTS AND TECHNIQUES ON THE NIGERIAN STAGE IN THE 21ST CENTURY OGUNGBESAN, OLUSEYI ABIODUN Department of Performing Arts, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Nigeria Abstract The Nigerian stage is an arena where human beings are presented in a cosmic totality, acting and reacting to forces around them and within them perceiving and being preceded by those interacting with them and by those in the audience who experience the enigma that is the common lot of humanity. It is not an ideal situation which is a very rare occurrence in the theatre where representations of what life should be is re-enacted. Since this ideal situations are not possible, the position of the director then becomes prerogative especially when his directorial styles and techniques are put into recognition for sustainable development on the Nigerian Stage in the 21st Century. As the Nigerian stage is inseparable from the Nigerian theatre so is there no stage without theatre. As play scripts differ, so also the concepts and techniques of each director. It is based on all these that this paper reviews the directorial concepts and techniques of directors on the Nigerian stage especially in the 21st century with the aim of comparing and analyzing their directorial skills and approaches. For the expression of the relationship between man, society and nature, the Nigerian theatre arose out of fundamental human needs in the dawn of human civilization and has continued to express those needs ever since, which is to say Nigerian theatre and drama originated with Nigerians themselves. Thus this paper further takes an insight into the future and prospects of the Nigerian director on the Nigerian stage. Introduction In an increasing ideological world like Nigeria, we are often confronted with how to measure the theatre in the 21st century; the theatre has been robbed of its aesthetic description as it is now confronted with less or rather no more artistic engagement, porous structure undeveloped character types, unduly large and barely managed casts. The Nigerian stage is no longer what it used to be in the early 60`s, 70`s and 80`s. The Nigerian theatre also is in a deplorable and indeed lamentable state. The noble legacy from the relics of colonial education which includes the introduction of the proscenium theatre presentations is dying day by day and the government is not as much as battling an eyelid. The uncaring attitude betrays the national recognition of the artist, which has been exhibited in the last Nine years by honoring artists with National Honors Award by former president Umaru Musa Yaradua. As much as this recognition of Award is quite appreciated one cannot help but wonder how a body can be honored and yet stand aside to watch it crumble, when the cure is up to our sleeves. This nation is endowed with great artistic talents that can build the most lucrative entertainment industry in the world and draw in currencies from the world over. The noble professionals have held their heads up high over the years and have done it through individual’s efforts. It goes to show therefore that with government support and encouragement this industry can be restructured into a giant show business industry that can spin top world currencies and rebrand the nation, in the direction we desire but regrettably theatre halls and venues are now shadows of its old self and the few ones still managed till today have been turned into playing multiple roles as Centre for social and religious gatherings. The Glover hall, National theatre though until recently given a new face are still a far cry from what they used to look like in the past. It is no longer fashionable in academic parlance literary and social gatherings to discuss about the theatre or the Nigerian stage of certain aesthetic configurations. However theatre of today or rather theatre of the 21century in Nigeria in a non-academic setting is now suddenly hyped and made ceremonious like that of the Royal theatre or the Roman period. It is now being declared or rather classified for a secluded class of the society by the modern day theatre director who believes he can only survive in the theatre only through the patronage of the rich and affluent and so takes the theatre to the elites of the society who can afford to appreciate the theatre with their resources even though some of these so called elites barely appreciate the theatre with their time. What then is the role of the directors in all these? How can they excel in their artistic ingenuity despite these gaps? It is important to inform here that the uniqueness of every art lies in skill and the art of directing is no exception. This ‘skill’ as it were is the approach a director employs in the interpretation of his work. Every work intended for performance on stage involves directing. Since there are various types of drama, there equally should be various directing styles and method corresponding to each of these types and within a given type to the specific nature of each individual work. That is to say that for every director, there is a style or techniques and concept that make him or her distinct from the other. The director`s style and concept can only be what he is as a man, the strength of his artistic perception and taste, the strength of his capabilities in being a leader, the strength of his skill in theatres techniques and above all in using quiet, unassuming communication. The individual thing that he wants, that is the style of his production, can only emerge out of these qualities. Talent in a director then possesses some part of each of them at the base but then in building them extensively through hard work and determination. The director’s concept and technique is the general idea or notion guiding the production. Apart from the genre of the play which determines whether it is a tragedy, comedy, satire or farce, the director decides on the school of thought that will best portray the message he is trying to relay. It is the director`s duty to choose whether the play will be naturalistic, realistic or absurd. In terms of techniques or style, like earlier stated, every director has its own unique way of doing his art. Francis Hodge (1971:4) defines style as the “most significant aspect in the definition of art itself; something unique and highly individualized”. Against the background of the definitions of directing, directorial concept and techniques it is important to note that an artiste’s environment affects his skills and approach to things. In Nigeria, despite the growth of the theatre, there are still basic deficiencies that are prevalent in directing for the Nigerian stage in Book of Proceedings: the 6th Academic Conference of Hummingbird Publications and Research International on Paving Way for Africa Unique Opportunities for Sustainable Development in the 21st Century Vol.6 No.1 on 30th September, 2015- University of Ibadan Conference Centre,U.I, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria the 21st century. However, the ability to thrive in one`s art despite the setbacks is a sign of great craftsmanship. The Nigerian stage; a comparative analysis Yemi Ogunbiyi (1981: 5-6): The origin of Nigerian theatre lie in the numerous traditional, religious and functional rituals to be found in practically every Nigerian society. Adedeji (1981:6) further argued that: The theatre was taken outside the court and became known, first as Egun Alare and eventually Alarinjo, the first professional travelling theatre among the Yoruba`s but while the Alarinjo performers have not supplanted the ritual ceremonies of the Egungun society from which they initially transpired, they have deployed an almost independent entertainment oriented style, different in emphasis from the essentialist act of the original Egungun performance, even as they remain adjoined to its act so Alarinjo has remained an integral part of ritual. The most acceptable belief about the real origination of theatre in Nigeria by different theatre scholars is believed to be the birth of “the Nigerian travelling theatre” which was also known as the Ogunde theatre in 1946. The Nigerian travelling theatre was created by Hubert Ogunde who was born in 1916 in Ososa, four miles from Ijebu Ode in Ogun State. He worked first as a teacher before joining the Nigeria police force. His theatre career began under the patronage of the church. In 1944, he produced his first opera “The Garden of Eden” and the “Throne of God” commissioned the cherubim and seraphim church of the lord based in Lagos. The performance was in aid of the church building fund. The huge success of the production spurred Ogunde on to writing more operas. Ogunde began the rise of Modern professional theatre in Nigeria, a movement in which he remains the supreme artist and father figure. Theatre in Nigeria before the 60`s was synonymous with ‘concert’ in spite of British and western culture, the British had little understanding of the concept of the theatre as an organic development which has strong link to the culture that creates or produces it. It is strange but true to know that the British council which seeks to ensure that the best of British drama, music and visual arts is displayed overseas at the most effective places and time was also the agency that initiated the idea of festival of Arts in 1949 to enable the Nigerian artistes display their arts to the public as an annual event.