THE DEVELOPMENT OF TECHNICAL THEATRE PRACTICE IN NIGERIA: THE ROLE OF DURO ONI
KEYNOTE SEMINAR PAPER ON
DURO ONI AT 60
PRESENTED, THURSDAY 13 DECEMBER, 2012
UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS, LAGOS, NIGERIA
BY
L.O. MOLINTA ENENDU MFA, Ph.D
PROFESSOR
THEATRE/MEDIA SCENOGRAPHY AND TECHNOLOGY
DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE & MEDIA STUDIES
UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, CALABAR
NIGERIA.
E-mail – ojenendu@yahoo.com
+2348033392268.
Introduction
Theatre production is a highly collaborative and complex endeavour. It
entails the coordination of diverse professional skills, talents and
crafts of the production team, using appropriate tools and equipment,
within a suitable work-space and environment for a unified stage
result. In practical terms, theatre production is a synthesis of the
elements of production, and bringing them into meaningful stage
concordance and congruous whole by ingenuous creativity for a singly
aesthetic impression. The elements of stage and film productions which
are brought before the audience are a combination of both technical
and artistic elements; some static some in moving forms, all
creatively arrayed in a panoramic, sequential order of presentation
within the aesthetic field – the stage, the world of the performers.
However, in production preparation processes, these elements are
separately conceived, designed, realized and later, assembled as
unified whole or entity in production. The play script, the performers
movement and dialogue, costume and make-up embellishments; the space
and the environment are given definition in terms of time and culture,
using scenery, properties and stage lighting, sound and sound effects
as well as pyrotechnics. These are creatively and artistically
conceived and galvanized into one aesthetic entity by the artistic and
technical theatre units.
The Nature of Technical Theatre Explained
Theatre is arts, and technical theatre is certainly one of the broad
arts of the theatre. It focuses on creativity with imagination as its
centre piece. Technical theatre appears in Theatre Arts undergraduate
curriculum in various nomenclatures: technical theatre, theatre design
and technology, stage craft, theatrical design, or in titles that
treat segmented units catering for its different aspects. Examples
are, scene design, lighting design, stage costume, theatre sound,
stage carpentry, stage machines, etc. The course embraces the
conceptualization, designs, production, handling, movement and
disposition of these entities.
The heart of technical theatre is artistry, creativity, imagination,
selectivity, order and discrimination of ideas, and the translation of
these ideas into practical stage reality using technical tools and
production materials. It is inextricably bound to addressing
production problems for practical and aesthetic stage results and
needs. These are the intrinsic and interconnectedness of technical
theatre. Mere dependence on old formulae or rummaging through books
may not solve the problems. Conventional platforms alone for instance,
may not create and build an ant-hill on stage, it requires extra
imagination and fabrication to create a convincing one. The domain and
costume of a lunatic must be aesthetically satisfying not on the basis
of its beauty, but perhaps for its ugliness.
Technical theatre requires craftsmanship to translate design ideas
into stage reality. Both simple and complex designs require
craftsmanship, engineering and technological support and solutions.
Noah's Ark has to rock and float on top of flood; the trees must
'unfix' to surround and take the hunters captive; the back-chair must
collapse when the creditor sits on it; the flame must engulf the tree
as the fiery lion spits fire, and the fire must be put off as the
hound provokes the thunderstorm. These are different dramaturgical
problems that should be unraveled convincingly in view of the
audiences using stage design, stagecraft and technology. It is
carefully planned and executed to communicate.
Technical Theatre uses a diversity of materials; nothing is left out,
nothing seems to be valueless. The technician needs a working
knowledge of the material: from the most traditional and simplistic to
the most technological and sophisticated. Bamboo, raffia, straw,
grass, leather, iron, aluminum, steel, wood, metal, plastics,
thermoplastics, foam, styrofoam and fabrics; technical theatre
accommodates the ever expanding and increasing scope of materials and
their worlds of technological possibilities and applicability.
Technical Theatre deploys and benefits from the technology of the
day, and in fact, helps to direct and propel the speed and growth area
of technology. In scenic mechanisms and scenic devices, in sound
reinforcement application and reproduction systems, in fabric
materials and design technology, in light sources and intensity
control equipment; and in pyrotechnology – the engineering processes
are abreast with technological trends of the moment. The dues ex
machina or decorating the Ogun or Ekpiri shrine, or creating a
psychedelic or hallucination world, requires that buttons on a row of
computers, or memory lighting console should be activated to
facilitate the results. The task dictates the tool – a paint brush, a
screw driver, a needle, a measuring tape etc (are all valid and
relevant), from very simple to most complex mechanical
electro-mechanical or computerized machines.
Technical Theatre is technology based. Most of its products claim
their ancestry to human endeavours adapted to meet stage needs. The
ultimate purpose of theatre is art, and must be art, technology is
summoned by theatre to support art. The areas frequently explored are
those of servomechanism, tube and solid-state electronics, telemetry
and other electro-mechanical and computer based devices. (Enendu;
1994: 257).
Shozo Wamiki of Japan in 1758 built a revolve stage in Kado Theatre in
Osaka. George Vigarani in 1667 was imported to France from Italy to
build Selle des Machines with machine operated stages; one stage,
twenty by fifteen meters had the entire royal family and their
attendants flown in this machines as a mark of compliment at the
opening ceremony. In the production of Psyche, 1671, a display of 300
deities surrounded by cloud was made by Gaspare Vigarani. Stage
machines, stage technologies as in the past, just as today are used by
theatre technicians to create stage marvels. Revolving floors,
thunderstorm, moving worlds, volcanoes and world of dreams are some of
the possibilities created by technical theatre.
Technical theatre has it myths, fantasies, and legends. It uses basic
mathematical calculations and scientific principles. Drawing and
drafting tools are used in geometrical and trignometrical
constructions providing the bases for building efficiency. Basic
construction and work tools as hammer, saw, screwdriver and even
brooms, are employed. It requires the understanding and application of
some basic scientific principles and rules. However, most
undergraduate students in Theatre Arts dread the course, often yelling
out in class, "oh! maths again!", as a reaction against having to be
bothered or confronted by Mathematics in Theatre Arts courses. The
result is that in an undergraduate class of about sixty students, only
about three may opt to, or indeed qualify, to stress in Technical
Theatre in the final year. Other frightening dimensions of Technical
Theatre may include the challenging features of the profession. These
include climbing ladders and working at heights, working in the traps,
basement or the catwalk, all mostly at nights. Others may include
focusing the lights, building the costumes, props or set and recording
the sound when the cast has retired for the night. Some dread getting
stained by paint or dye while working in the paint-frame or at the
dye-vat. These are some of the unpalatable and unattractive aspects of
Technical Theatre. However, those who have persevered, it is glad to
note, have always shown unsurpassable courage and brain as phenomenal
creative minds, producing tangible stage results and returns.
Against this background of an attempted explanation of the nature of
Technical Theatre, which is neither comprehensive nor orderly, let us
now look at the state of technical theatre practice in Nigeria.
Technical Theatre Practice In Nigeria
The traditional African performances trace their origin and
development to myth, rituals, worships and festivals. The performances
by masked and unmasked dancers and performers in shrines, groves,
marketplaces, public squares for ritual and social functions related
to life, death, rebirth are associated with the welfare of the
community.
It may be difficult to speak authoritatively on the 'performance
craft' of traditional Africa Theatre. Some accounts suggest that
renowned craftsmen in the community decorated the shrines. Best
carvers and weavers were hired from neighbouring communities to
produce sacred images and carve the masks required for the
ornamentation and the embellishments of the sacred places. (Uzoagha
1991: 38).
The performers spent the last few days before the festival with
traditional beauticians adoring and painting their bodies, building
and trying out the beads and costumes, doing the hair, and assembling
the accessories – hand fans, ntunisi, jigida, mgba-aka, ihe-onu:
these are equivalents of material produced by present day theatre
technician, but were popularly used in the Emume Olisa festival.
(Afuekwe 1992:19).
The beginning of the modern Nigeria theatre practice used indoor
spaces – the school hall, village hall, multi-purpose civic centers –
for their production. At this time, Technical Theatre practice
witnessed a lot of quackery especially in selected areas. Also at this
time, other arts of the theatre had seemingly developed – play making,
acting, dancing, and to an extent, the art of directing. There was a
total absence of well organized technical theatre unit. A quack in
stage lighting may be content with one or two 60watts A-lamps or a
two-feet long fluorescent tube powered by electricity as the only
source of illumination. The later innovation of using red, blue, green
and open white A-lamps was seen as highly sophisticated and very
innovative. However, the electrician who doubles as the lighting man,
and operated the switch system, probably may know next to nothing
about the play. The production, for its setting, may either run on
bare stage, or use the school pupils' desks, or borrow the
headmaster's office furniture. The performers may do the setup and
movement of set units themselves. Costumes range from white bedcover
for the angel, blanked for the elders, wrappers, blouses, trousers and
shirts are borrowed from parents or relations. Performers improvised
the props like walking stick, bag, cup if they are imperative to the
production.
The early African plays were produced under this condition of poor, or
out-right absence of technology support. Plays of James Ene Henshaw,
plays by the Ghanaian Concert Party and the Nigerian Folk Opera
which were associated with names like Herbert Ogunde, Kola Ogunmola,
Obatunde Ijimere and Duro Ladipo, fall under this category.
Despite these obvious technical inadequacies, and lack of facilities
and know-how among some of these travelling theatre productions, the
technical short falls were compensated with great attention paid to
costume and make-up handled to uphold the characters statuses and
personalities. (Ogunkilede, 1987: 20). The true situation was that
this appeared to be a transitory period in technical theatre practice:
The theatrical tradition of this period had lost the services and the
ingenuity of the indigenous craftsman and sufficient foundation, so
far, was not laid for professionals in theatrical designs and
technology. (Enendu 2002: 354).
Almost simultaneous with the development of Nigeria Folk Opera and the
Yoruba Travelling Theatre troupes was the development of higher
education and the establishment of Universities and Colleges that
impacted on the evolutional trends on theatres in Nigeria. The
University of Ibadan Arts Theatre, notably the first of such modern
theatre buildings of her time was opened in 1955 to became the centre
and hub for producing the first and the second generations of
technical theatre personnel in this country. The first scene shop,
with professional stage carpenter, dressing room, costume room, sound
systems, conventional theatre lighting and control systems, came into
existence. The control room, a standard stage with stage draperies,
traverse house tab, stage dips, and cyclorama as related tools and
equipment for technical theatre training and production were
installed.
The first generation of technical theatre practitioners were hatched
in this theatre. Dexter Lyndersay, often regarded as the founding
father of technical theatre practice in Nigeria was the teacher. His
outstanding students and apprentices included Sumbo Marinho, Domba
Asomba, Segun Akingbola and Duro Oni.
The first batch and the pioneering generation of Nigeria technical
theatre practitioners were breed and truly nurtured in this theatre.
Dexter K. W. Lyndersay, a Trinidadian and the first technical director
of the Ibadan School of Drama (1966 - 1967) and, director of the
school (1967 - 1969), and later, the pioneer head of Theatre Arts
Department, University of Calabar, (1976 - 1983) made immense
contributions to the development of technical theatre practice in
Nigeria. He was a resident technical director and lecturer in theory
and practice of technical theatre for over thirty years in Nigeria.
His outstanding students and apprentices included, Sumbo Marinho who
later taught technical theatre courses in the University of Ibadan for
almost four decades. Domba Asomba also taught scene design and stage
lighting at the University of Nigeria Nsukka, before he retired in
2009. Segun Akingbola, another great talent from the pioneer batch,
was the resident technical director and theatre designer for Oduduwa
Hall, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile – Ife for about three decades
before he retired for community services and leadership. The fourth
was Duro Oni, who, apart from his over-all contributions to theatrical
design within the last four decades, also designed for the television
and films, and, above all he anchored the technical theatre unit and
productions of Centre for Nigeria Cultural Studies, and later the
Department of Creative Arts, University of Lagos.
The literary drama, as an aspect of modern Nigeria drama was already
blossoming in different parts of Nigeria. The pioneers in Nigeria
were, Wole Soyinka, John Pepper Clark, Jame Ene Henshaw; and later,
Ola Rotimi, Bode Sowande, Wale Ogunyemi, Zulu Sofola, Femi Osofisan,
Kalu Uka, and many others much later. The plays of these great
Nigerians and the budding directors began to demand for conventional
theatre houses, performance spaces with "modern" orientation and
mechanization, production preparation spaces and equipment, and
technical theatre personnel. Thus, Nigeria developed formal theatre
buildings which, on bases of their functions, operational philosophy
and principles were planned, and structured to accommodate, under a
single roof, in all practical terms, the preparation and presentation
of performances to live audience in an atmosphere of safety and
comfort. The theatres also provided adequate spaces and structural
equipments for effective technical theatre practice. This includes the
handling and movement of scenery, its devices, machines, tools and
mechanisms. Other facilities include stage lighting equipment and
unified control systems, sound reinforcement and distribution systems,
stage properties, costume and make-up, and safety and comfort as they
related to theatrical design and technology.
The years between 1970 and 1990 were very remarkable in the history
of theatre and technical theatre practice in Nigeria. Many University
theatres were built to service the academic curriculum and the
production needs of new departments of Theatre Arts created. The
Oduduwa Hall of the University of Ife (now Obafami Awolowo
University), Ile – Ife, the two theatre auditoriums of the University
of Lagos, the University of Calabar Arts Theatre, The Crab of the
University of Port Harcourt; the University of Nigeria Nsukka, Theatre
Complex, the Ahmadu Bellow University Mud Theatre as well as the
University of Jos Open-Air Theatre; all came into existence within
this period. The National Theatre Iganmu, Lagos, as one of the most
magnificent edifices in Africa with its sophisticated technical
theatre equipment and mechanical and electro-mechanical devices was
completed to host FESTAC '77 (the World Black Festival of Arts and
Culture, Jan. 15 – Feb. 12 1977). Some state owned theatres, cultural
centers were also built within this "great theatre age in Nigeria".
The Oyo State Cultural Centre Theatre, Ibadan, The Bendel State Arts
Council Theatre (now Edo) in Benin, and the Cross River State Theatre
Complex and Mini Theatre in Calabar, the Benue State Isa Kontogora
Theatre followed soon after. Private theatre houses were also built in
Owerri, Lagos, Ibadan and Calabar among others.
The point that needs to be made very clear is the relationship
between these formal theatre buildings and the development of
technical theatre in Nigeria. The theatres came with different
architectural characteristics, new and complex scenic mechanisms and
devices with varying motive powers. They also had highly developed and
precise stage lighting and sound control equipment, newly equipped
studios and scene and costume shops with modern work tools and
materials of production, as well theatre equipment to support audience
comfort and safety. These impressive developments in Nigeria theatre
scene, in very precise terms, helped to accommodate and project the
meaning and stage productions of Nigerian plays. It also encouraged
the works of Nigerian composers, choreographers, directors, performers
and indeed, the theatre technicians, who were there to man these
theatres and cater for the productions. Stagecraft cannot be separated
from the design of the building in which they find themselves.
Fredrick Bentham, writing as an authority in theatrical design and
stage engineering noted that the simplest and most obvious fact is
that theatrical design must be created in terms of the theatre in
which it is to be used. (1976: VII).
As new theatres were created in Nigeria, the more the areas and the
spheres of operations of Nigerian theatre technicians. The demand for
professional theatre technicians to man the new theatres was almost
simultaneous with the emergence of second generation of theatre
designers in Nigeria. Each branch of technical theatre now had
specialized designers who were products and pupils of the first
generation of Theatre Technicians. This is especially in the areas of
sound, lighting, costume, make-up and stage properties with profound
positive impact on theatrical design and productions in Nigeria.
Within this 21st century, technical theatre practice in Nigeria is
considered truly and fully grown with the capacity, in terms of
equipment, know-how, personnel, ideas and creative ingenuity, to meet
the technical and artistic challenges of her stage, film and even
theatre-related productions and events. With the increase in the
supportive roles of technical theatre and theatrical design to stage
and film productions, directors, theatre managers and patrons make
more demands for new production ideas from the growing theatre
technology.
Frank M. Whitting (1964: 252) once noted that the greatest technical
advantage that the twenty-first century theatre enjoys over those of
past ages lies in its comparative mastery of the art of stage lighting
as one of the most flexible and expressive technical craft that a
director can employ to reinforce the work of the actor. This assertion
is even made more manifest with the introduction of digital and
computer technology into stage design as aspect of technical theatre
practice. The total effect is all-pervading and stimulates design
adventurism. Duro Oni observed that the introduction of digital
technology and Computer Aided Design (CAD) into theatrical designs has
eliminated time consuming and repetitive tasks in drafting, thereby
increasing productivity in its ability to produce more finished
products in floor plans, working drawings and light plot. He further
notes that this increases the collaboration between the designer and
the director, especially at the production preparation stages.
New theatres in Nigeria, consulting firms in the area of production
equipment; new television studios, and some commercial stage and film
lighting groups have an array of these high technology and computer
controlled lighting and sound equipment to service the theatres. The
Gloryland Theatre in Bayelsa State, The Nasarawa State University
Theatre, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Arts Theatre, Z-Mirage in Lagos,
Lumen Production in Calabar, are examples of groups and theatres that
have equipment that drive the rate and speed of development of
technical support to productions in Nigeria.
Challenges of Technical Theatre in Nigeria
Let it be clearly stated that apart from the actor, his movement,
emotions and dialogue, every other audio or visual elements of stage
(or film production) are the products of theatrical design and
technology. This means that any production that undermines or
overlooks the contributions of theatrical design has denied itself a
wide range of creative opportunities and comprehensive communicative
and aesthetic values.
Theatre building is a project of decades and it is capital intensive.
Some theatre projects in Nigeria are at times abandoned half way or
drastically reversed in scope. Most theatre patrons, the government,
policy makers and financiers, on the completion of the building
project, see the installation of technical theatre equipment as
unnecessary budgetary involvement and expenses. They do this out of
ignorance and lack of understanding. Perhaps they have not benefitted
from advice of consultants and theatre men before initiating the
project. Original building plans and designs are changed or ignored.
Theatre scene shops may be converted to restaurants. Noise insulation,
costume equipment, acoustic treatment, dye-vat, stage décor, basic
work tools are ignored. Most times uncompleted theatre project are
rushed and commissioned to score cheap political popularity. The rest
is at the perils and detriment of the theatre men. The Cross River
State Theatre complex was proposed with double-purchase,
electro-mechanical flying systems. That is not there today. What it
has now are improvisation designed and installed by this writer – a
tableau and traverse of stage drapes and cyclorama. Worse still are
some theatres that are designed and built without any consideration
for spaces like the loft, back stage, wings and even the basements.
Most theatres, when designed and finally handed over suffer from lack
of routine services of technical theatre and performance equipment as
nothing is budgeted for this. The glory of such theatre and the
facilities continue to drop. The National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos, the
University of Calabar Arts Theatre, the University of Lagos Arts
Theatre, and many others are examples of theatres where comprehensive
technical facilities were installed but are no longer performing with
maximum efficiency due to lack of replenishment and maintenance.
Most production budgets and planning do not favour technical inputs to
production. The committee planning and controlling the budget for a
university convocation production or state financed productions may
not see the need for spending on things like flats, props, costumes
and other back stage materials. Creativity is not about money but
there is not much to be expected without basic tools and materials.
The technical theatre practice is not a professional calling for
everyone. Those who venture into it should know that one cannot use
the catwalk without gathering cub-web with the head. One does one
climb the cat-ladder to the lighting bridge or descend to the basement
in suit and tie. The profession may not attract or impress fops and
dandies, for it has an unwritten but approved dressing code – simple
and rugged wear.
Practical production in technical theatre should be reemphasized and
intensified in the undergraduate curriculum in Nigerian Universities.
One hour as a stage hand working with a master stage craftsman setting
the scene for a production perhaps may be more valuable than six hours
of theoretical discourse on the same subject. A one year programme for
degree of masters in technical theatre appears deficient for a well
distributed and balanced work in theatrical designs and technical
production. Instead, Master of Fine Arts (MFA) may be recommended as
it provides for a year of theoretical course work and one year of
practical application and creativity in supervised stage performances.
No aspects of technical theatres practice should be undermined in
training, this will lead to full diversification in the areas of
theatre architecture and space planning theatrical design and
technical production.
Theatrical Design and technology is the growth area of theatre
practice in the 21st century. Theatre employs the trendy and most
recent technology for its operations. Practitioners should endeavour
to be abreast with new developments to support and enhance stage
creativity.
The Role of Duro Oni in the Development of Technical Theatre Practice
in Nigeria.
This writer will firstly and quickly admit that it is impossible
within the scope of this works, and the time now available to us here,
to comprehensively delineate on the academic, technical, creative and
administrative inputs and impact of the first Nigerian Professor in
the area of technical theatre, Duro Oni. What may be attempted here is
to highlight the points that cannot be easily overlooked, both new and
by history. Success is not a matter of chances but a matter of choice.
His career in technical theatre now running to four decades, is
enormously rewarding and successful, producing phenomenal returns and
rewards. Recounting and recapturing his creative works, the
productions, his brilliant publications and theatre manifestoes would
indeed need new volumes of documentation.
As a member of the pioneering team, a member of the foundation team of
trained Nigerian technical theatre personnel, he cleared the turf,
tilled the soil and planted what the present generation is now
harvesting. Duro One should be rightly described as a plough-man of
modern technical theatre practice in Nigeria.
Duro Oni as a pioneer started working in Nigeria technical theatre
when it was virtually non – existent, and so helped to lay the
foundation at a time technical theatre practice had so many
adversities, and limitations. It had to struggle for recognition,
relevance and acceptability as a new comer, when compared with other
arts of the theatre like playmaking, acting and directing.
Within the first few years of pioneering efforts the practice of
technical theatre was rescued from the strangling hold of quacks, who
were posturing as relevant contributors to theatre profession. With
this, conventional approach to theatrical design, technical production
was established and followed. Design ideas were sieved out from
thorough script analysis and interpretation, followed by rehearsals
where the ideas are tired, tested, evaluated and appraised before
performance. The conceptualization of ideas was followed by the
delivery in productions; this is the hallmark of creative ingenuity in
theatrical design.
Within the first ten years of professional practice in the Centre for
Cultural Studies, University of Lagos he had gained reputation
nationally and internationally as one of Nigeria's brightest creative
minds in the burgeoning stage and film industries. The name Duro Oni
because synonymous with big time events and major stage lighting
productions in Nigeria. A look at Duro Oni's production records,
portfolio and production projects shows evidence of tremendous work in
stage lighting both in Nigeria, Europe and the United States. Apart
from University of Lagos productions, he made immense contributions,
technically to command performances at the National Theatre, in
national and international festivals including FESTAC '77. He worked
in productions directed by reputable African and distinguished world
directors – Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Peter Igbo, Sam Akpabot, Bode
Osanyin, Gbenga Sonuga, Olu Jacob, Dora Ifudu, Chuck Mike, Bill
Morrison, Uwa Itunwick and more.
Perhaps, from the point of professionalism, Duro Oni's greatest
contribution is in the recording of conceptualized design ideas. He
never worked by rote. He backs up his design with a working document
representing his own conceived design ideas from where the rest of the
production teams draw their own guide and direction. Ground plan and
elevation drawings for the scenery; plots, cue-sheets, lay-out-plan
are all meticulously and painstakingly put in scaled mechanical
drawings containing all relevant information for the Master
Electricians, Stage Carpenter, Console Operators and the Technicians.
It a mark of professional excellence for him using conventional
language, standardized practice and astute formalism. Only very few
Nigeria theatrical designers go this length and take that much
trouble. History should remember him for giving theatrical design in
Nigeria, what I may call, international intelligibility.
Duro Oni quickly embraces new instruments, tools and processes to
advance theatrical design in Nigeria. He was one of the first and few
designers in Nigeria that embraced and benefited from Computer Aided
Designs (CAD) in this digital age. He employs CAD to eliminate the
laborious mechanical drafting in lighting plots, set design and sound
cues. He has long excelled in the use of application of CAD drawing,
shaping and colouring, and using the specially designed goggles to
view the stage from different positions in the auditorium on the stage
by the press of a bottom using the aid of Virtual Reality (VR). (Oni,
1999: 49).
Duro Oni, with over thirty years of professional practice as a theatre
designer and technologist, has used his acquired knowledge and
experiences to give stage lighting a disciplinary theoretical
discourse. He has thus contributed, through several of his brilliant
journal articles and books and seminars to the principles, policy,
theories and manifestoes of the art of stage lighting. Most of them
focus on the patterns and challenges of stage lighting in Nigeria,
thus enlarging the frontiers of academic discuss of stage lighting and
broadening its scope as an academic discuss in university curriculum.
Oni has established the rules and followed the conventions.
This theatre technologists and intellectual propounded a theoretical
view in the art of stage lighting which focuses on international world
view and advocacy on stage lighting. He delineates on, "the potentials
of stage lighting with creation of dramatic environment as a reduction
and, or substitute for, the use of stage lighting". This intellectual
reasoning and creative idea appears as a summation of the over all
pattern of views that have bothered world theatrical designers –
Wagner (1813 - 1883), Adolphe Appia (1862 - 1928), Gordon Craig (1877
- 1966) and Joseph Svoboda (1920 - 2002). This view is capable of
directing the ideas of Nigerian stage lighting designers both now and
in future.
Nigeria today has very reputable and talented playwrights whose works
have been staged in different Nigerian stages supported by visual and
audio elements of technical production. Nigerian designers have not
failed the Nigerian dramatists – they have joined the trade line of
theatre development on the right direction. This is credited to the
pioneers of Nigeria theatre design and numerous practicing
professionals who studied and crewed under the pioneers. Duro Oni has
produced great and practicing theatre technicians who in turn, have
also trained their own professionals. He is therefore qualified as a
grandfather in the Arts. At sixty, Duro Oni perhaps, has only
contributed some percentage of the imbued creative output and so,
still holds great promise for more contributions to theatre and
mankind.
As Carnival Arts continue to develop in Nigeria in the areas of
carnival float design and construction, decorative lights as part of
celebration of events, costume and property design and realization as
part of carnival and pageantry, and as fireworks and pyrotechnics
continue to be part of great events in Nigeria, the credits go to
Nigeria technical theatre practice where these related artistry claim
their ancestry.
As this gathering focuses on the state of Technical Theatre practice
in Nigeria, this discussions cannot attempt not to recognize and
appreciate one of the most widely known designers - a very highly
esteemed and resourceful theatre designer, Duro Oni. He is an
inspiring thinker that deploys ideas; an excelled contemporary theatre
designer who helped to raise and sustain the spirit and standard of
stage/film productions with his design ideas. He is humble and
profound; a committed, focused and inspiring designer and
technologist; a man of vision and great creative discerning; a
professor of ingenious creativity and relentless drive for stage
results and returns. Perhaps, let it be now, in the near future, or
when history calls for the reckoning of Nigeria's great, creative
minds that pioneered and upheld the burgeoning theatrical design in
Nigeria, Duro Oni, must he called up to be counted and truly
appreciated.
Works Cited
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Ibadan University, 1979.
Afuekwe, Austine I. A Philosophical Inquiry Into Religion And Social
Life in Igbo Land. Calabar: Apcon Limited, 1992.
Arnold, Richard L. Scene Technology. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1990.
Burris – Meyer, Harold, and Edward Cole. Theatres And Auditoriums.
York: Reinhold Publishing Corporation, 1964.
Enendu, L. O. Molinta. "Modern Technology And Theatre Production in
Nigeria", in TSR – Theatre Studies Review. Ed., Chris Nwamuo. Calabar:
University of Calabar, 1993.
Enendu, L. O. Molinta. "The Development of Performance Venues And
Theatre Architecture in Nigeria And Implications on Theatrical
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Toyin Falola
Department of History
The University of Texas at Austin
104 Inner Campus Drive
Austin, TX 78712-0220
USA
512 475 7224
512 475 7222 (fax)
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