From Magnus Eze, Abuja
Lovers of theatre in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be treated to a stage play this weekend, on Ola Rotimi’s classical novel, “The Gods Are Not to Blame”.
Organisers of the event slated for the prestigious Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, on Saturday, said the play was to rekindle people’s interest in Nigerian literatures.
According to Mrs Doyinsola Odumosu of Mellis Copia, there seemed to be a declining interest among Nigerians, especially the younger generation in indigenous literatures that tell the African story by Africans.
“Mellis Copia wants to use this play to be staged at the Transcorp Hilton to bring to Nigerians the play: “The gods are not to be blame”, especially to those who did not read the novel.
“We therefore hope to take our audience, both young and old, on a journey back to ancient Nigeria using the stage play to tell our story,” she stated.
The initiative, Odumosu said, is also to revive and showcase stage play as a strong tool for education, information and entertainment, because it makes the message more real to people.
Odumosu listed the cast for the epic stage play to include Nollywood stars like Rotimi Fakunle, Ajayi Akorede, Finian Sylvia and Osunsanya Funmilayo, among others.
Abuja-based popular comedian, ‘Chuks D General’, she said, would be featured on the stage play.
“The gods are not to blame’’ is a 1971 novel by Nigerian Playwright, Ola Rotimi, an adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex.