Theatre as Tool for Development in Nigeria

Abstract

Among the many communication tools available, theatrical representation is a favorite in many sub-Saharan African countries. Because of its festive, communal, realistic and concrete nature, it is almost impossible to avoid if you have a message to transmit to local communities – whether rural or urban. When we talk about theatre in the development context, we are obviously not talking about classical theatre, but rather about popular forms of theatre also known as street theatre, intervention theatre, or theatre for develop¬ment. The most popular forms of theatre for development are forum theatre, interactive theatre, and the theatre debate – all of which use similar techniques. One of the distinguishing characteristics of popular theatre is its social content. The troupes of actors are often local or regional. The villagers do not have to travel to see the performances, as the troupes come to the villages to perform. Within development, there is an increasing recognition of the need to hear the opinion of the people who are most affected by development. One response to this is ‘Theatre for Development’, which is a technique of performance and drama-building. It rests on an interaction between people who are in the flight path of development projects and those agencies who initiate them. This paper will examine theatre as a powerful tool of communication which enables people to contribute in the development of their society and thereby get involved in the search for solutions.