A foremost development communication non-governmental organisation, ARDA, which has over 20 years experience of changing norms and behaviours through drama and entertainment, is excited to celebrate International Women’s Month with the production of The Wives’ Revolt, a stage play by the literary icon, Prof. John Pepper Clark.

Oxygen Concepts will give a command performance of the play scheduled for March 29, 2019, at Agip Recital Hall of MUSON Centre, Lagos.

When a small community in the Niger-Delta receives a payout from the oil company drilling their land, it turns out to be the kindling that stokes the flames of revolution in the women of the town.

The money is to be shared three ways among the elders, men and women, with the community elders getting the lion’s share. The women, who have long suffered injustice and marginalization, complain about the unfairness of the arrangement. They argue that the elders are also men, meaning they enjoy a second helping from the payout.

The women’s complaints are silenced in a ridiculous way involving accusations of witchcraft. When these accusations lead to further hardships on them, including loss of their livelihoods, the women in “one might and mind” say enough is enough and take action in a most unorthodox way.

According to the Producer and Executive Director of ARDA, Data Phido, “the play seeks to highlight the ignorance and unconsciousness behaviour of men on certain issues that remain important to women, and calls attention to them with empathy in an emphatic way.”

Though nearly four decades have passed since The Wives’ Revolt was first staged, the themes of gender inequality and misogyny remain relevant today.

Some things have changed for the better, but there is still a lot of work to be done, and we hope this production by ARDA inspires a positive revolution towards more gender equality in our day-to-day lives.

The play features a stellar cast comprising Nigeria’s finest theatre practitioners such as, Toyin Oshinaike (who plays Okoro), Zara Udofia Ejoh (as Koko), Albert Akaeze (as Idama), and Oladotun Olagbadebo is the Stage Manager while Toritseju Ejoh is the director. It opens on March 29, 2019, at Agip Recital Hall of MUSON Centre, Lagos with a command performance and two public showings at 3pm and 7pm on March 31, 2019.

SOURCE: ALLAFRICA.COM

PHOTO CREDIT: Vanguard