Women in African Performance and Theatre
The African Theatre Association is an international non-profit society open to scholars and practitioners of African performance and theatre. Its primary aim, through its annual conference, is to be a forum for the exploration of African performance and theatre processes. It intends to serve as a bridge between African theatre practices and scholarship in Africa and the African Diaspora, by bringing academics and theatre-makers together. The Association will initiate and lead discussions on African performance theory and practice. Its journal, African Performance Review, will help define and shape African performance and theatre scholarship and pedagogy by liberating them from a bondage to non-African discursive frameworks.
Women in African Performance and Theatre
A One-Day Inaugural Symposium was hosted by The African Theatre Association in collaboration with The Pinter Centre for Performance and Creative Writing, Goldsmiths.
8 April 2006
Organiser: Dr Osita Okagbue, Drama, Goldsmiths (0207 919 7581)
Venue: Ben Pimlott Building, Goldsmiths
Programme
| 10.00 | Registration/tea & coffee |
| 10.30 - 11.00 | Opening |
11.00 - 1.20pm |
Morning session (20 mins for each paper) Dr Esiaba Irobi (University of Ohio) ‘Feminist Aesthetics in African Theatre of the Colonial Period’ Dr Sam Kasule (University of Derby) ‘Resistant Voices in African Popular Performance’ Dr Jumai Ewu (University of Northampton), ‘Crossing the Zaure: Theatre-for-Development and Women’s Empowerment in Nigeria’ 12.00 Tea/Coffee Dr Osita Okagbue (Goldsmiths College), ‘Through Other Eyes and Voices: Women and Marginality in Koteba and Mmonwu Performances’Chikukuango Cuxima-zwa (SOAS), ‘Taking a Backseat: Women’s Participation in African Performance and Theatre’ Adeleke Durotoye (Ibadan) ‘Yoruba Females in African Ritual Performance’ |
| 1.20 - 1.50pm | Discussions |
| 2.00 - 3.00pm | Lunch |
3.10 - 5.10pm |
Afternoon Session Dr Victor Ukaegbu (University of Northampton) ‘Gendered Invisibility: The Misrepresentation of Women in African Performance’ Reginald Ofodile (University of Exeter) ‘Status and Spirit: Women Traders in Wole Soyinka’s The Trials of Brother Jero and Death and the King’s Horseman’ Kenechukwu Igweonu (Royal Holloway), ‘Gender and Sexuality in Zulu Sofola’s King Emene: A Visionary and Pragmatic Approach to Feminism in Contemporary African Theatre and Performance’ Dr Oladipo Agboluaje (London) ‘Representations of Women in the Plays of Wole Soyinka and Zakes Mda’ Ndubuisi Anike (London) ’Standing in the Gap: Female Characters in the Plays of Aidoo, Sutherland, Dike, Sofola and Onwueme’ Sola Adeyemi (Tiscali) ‘Agony, Antigone and the Dialectics of Resistance in African Performance’ |
| 5.10-5.50pm | Discussions |
| 6.00pm | Closing |
For general enquiries about the Conference, including schedule, website and submission questions, please contact Dr Osita Okagbue.