BASKING IN THE GLORY OF CREATIVE INDOLENCE: FANAKA ARTS’ PRIDE IN PLAGIARISM

Wooiii, Ngai Fafa: Mitabo can't imagine Kanise's invitation!

In this review of Fanaka Arts Theatre’s production, I want to challenge the seemingly accepted trend in the theatre circles in Kenya where actors, directors and producers profit from the proceeds of lies in so far as they are engaged in plagiarism. I will also question the contentment of audience members who seem to care less about the purity of creative honesty, as long as their hunger for entertainment is satisfied.

At the outset, let me state here that Fanaka Arts Theatre took plagiarism to a new shocking and unique level. As my interview with the play’s Director Barbushe Maina and the producer Eric Ndung’u will show, this Company has no qualms at all about plagiarism and seemed to bask in the glory o ensuring audience satisfaction rather than respect intellectual property.

LYING WITH BOTH SIDES OF THE MOUTH

MADIANG’: Thank you Barbushe and Eric for agreeing to chat with me for a few minutes. I will only have two questions.

BARBUSHE: Sawa

ERIC: It is Ok

MADIANG’: That was a great performance, really good acting. Congratulations.

ERIC: Thank you.

MADIANG’: Now, who is the writer of this play?

ERIC: It is an adaptation of a play.

MADIANG’: Which play and by which writer?

ERIC: It is just a localization of a comedy play.

BARBUSHE: Actually what we did is, we took several plays and then we workshopped them. Y’know, one person will say this and another will say this. Then we directed it.

At this juncture, I noticed the discomfort creeping in and ended the interview.

MAKING THIEVERY A COMMON AN ACCEPTED CREATIVE TRAIT

The common trend in Kenya is such that these plagiarizing theatre groups invite you to a production of a play where the invite and advertisement does not indicate who the playwright is. Mostly, it is a catchy title that is used to attract an audience. In some cases, the title is at total variance with what the play depicts on stage.

Naive Maina cleans some boobs...cutting a drink is tough.

I fail to understand what Fanaka Arts Theatre feared they would lose if they acknowledged that they indeed were not the writers of the play. In fact, I wonder what they would have lost were they to be honest with the audience and inform them that they ‘workshopped’ the play. Clearly, it seems that Fanaka Arts were embarrassed of their actions and would rather the play’s source was hidden. Is it possible that Fanaka were performing someone’s play without permission and feared that acknowledging it might hamper their run at the Kenya Cultural Centre? Is it possible that Fanaka Arts Theatre have marketed themselves to their audience as creators of great comedies and fear that if they said they are not the writers, their patrons would desert them? Is it plausible that the Director and the Producer can have two different versions of their play’s source? Why can’t Fanaka Arts Theatre be professional enough to accept that there are different theatrical abilities and specializations and that not being playwrights does not reduce their glitter? Can a Company be so lazy creatively that they cannot spare some breath to acknowledge a fellow creative mind? Is Fanaka so desperate for  a quick buck that they will do anything to ensure they do not share their glory with creative writers who deserve?

What do you think you have that I don't, you B****?

But then, do I believe that these ingrates were telling me the truth when they said that they just took pieces from several plays and put them together into one hilarious comedy titled Arúme ní Itono? Not an iota! In fact, I tend to believe Eric’s initial slip when he let out that their production was in fact a localization of a play? To Eric and Fanaka Arts Theatre I pose the question: WHOSE PLAY DID YOU PLAGIARIZE? Whose efforts did you appropriate and pass across to us as yours? To whom do you owe the great profit that you made by producing their play? I await a response.

WAS THIS THEN A GIKUYU COMEDY?

In light of the glaring fact that this was possibly a play simply translated or adapted from another, I would like to put the question to the fore: does translating a Luo play into English make it an English Play? Doesn’t it just remain a Luo play rendered in English? What defines a Gikuyu Comedy? Does translating an English play and localizing the scenes to central Kenya realize a Gikuyu comedy? In asking these questions, I am in fact trying to provoke creative playwriting so that we get authentic local-language plays. Opportunities abound in that area.

Do you know what I eat from Kanise?

The other issue I want to raise regards the continued mitigation that troupes ‘workshopped’, ‘localized’, ‘adapted’ a play. In many cases, Kenyan troupes use these words interchangeably. But do they really mean the same? Eric and Barbushe in explaining their play used these words as if they meant the same thing? Do they? Not at all.

PERFECT PERFORMANCE: GREAT ACTORS, GOOD DIRECTION AND COMMENDABLE PRODUCTION

On 8^th March 2011, I received a text message from Fanaka Arts Theatre inviting me to, at a cost of Kshs. 500/- only, enjoy their production of  ‘“Arúme ní Itono”…another Gikuyu comedy Play. @ the Kenya National Theatre…’ (Sic). For the record, I understand the Gikuyu language, having spent my formative years under the care, guidance and tutelage of the gracious Miss Muhoro at the venerable Dr. Arthur PCEA nursery school and church where we learnt about ‘rurer’ and sang Útúrathime Mwathani’.

Utalala kwa kiti gunia hii! Unakula msichana wa Std. 2?

Arúme ní Itono, translated figuratively meaning ‘Men Are In Charge’ is a play revolving around the trials and tribulations of the henpecked Maina. It begins with Maina’s wife’s insistence that they visit Mombasa for a ‘second honeymoon’ to celebrate their 17 years of marriage. Wangari, Maina’s wife has even purchased bus tickets for two. Maina on the other hand does not want to go and stubbornly refuses to go to ‘the same Mombasa, in the same hotel, with the same room’. He insists on living in the serenity and comfort of his house where he enjoys his tea and boiled eggs. Presently however, things change when Wangari’s sister Nyambura barges in complete with a huge suitcase, having declared a separation from her randy husband, Mitabo, who as they enjoyed their marital sex, had in his uncontrolled ecstasy called out the name of his secretary Kanise. What follows is a journey through interesting twists and turns during which Maina will come across as the bad boy while the amorous Mitabo passes across as the gentleman. Of course in the end, Mitabo does make love to Maina’s wife and Maina suffers the ignominy and embarrassment of accusing Mitabo and Wangari of infidelity.

Do they care about plagiarism? Dishonesty?

In all fairness and truth the actors contracted by Fanaka Arts Theatre did a marvelous job in actualizing the play, Arúme ní Itono. Whereas the lady acting Wangari began the play at a breakneck pace and the gentleman acting Maina was inaudible at the beginning, they nevertheless got their rhythm as the play progressed. The main issue I had with their design of the set was that by placing the dining table so deeply downstage left, they blurred our vision of the actors and their action, considering that the theatre’s lighting was not good. Additionally, being just near the kitchen door where a lot of coming and going was taking place, it crowded the play.

Mitabo, after servicing Maina's wife, catches him 'cheating'

It is worth celebrating the prowess of the actors for doing justice to their roles. The lady that acted Kanise internalized well her drunk hooker role and her mannerisms and speech helped create the completely disgusting prostitute that Maina loathed. I applaud the two gentlemen for playing out the complete paradox of their characters especially Maina’s  loathing of the ladies of the old trade and Mitabo’s complete loving of the same. Kanise’s accomplice was a refreshing seductress and contributed significantly to heightening the audience’s expectations, keeping them mostly at the edge of their seats as she teased Maina.

But, by very very far, the best performance was given by Mitabo. He did not just pour out words, but expertly gelled them with gestures and body language that enhanced meaning and suggestions. He was a master of the theatrical space and masterfully handled stage business. His handling of the props was superb and he seemed to have a great sense of the play’s set.

Such a talented group should never resort to creative dishonesty

I highly recommend the actors of this play and categorically state that the direction and production of Arúme ní Itono, was of very high quality. In the end, the performance alone was worth the money and while. The only blot in this play is Fanaka Arts Theatre’s dabbling in intellectual conmanship by not acknowledging and properly appreciating the source of their play.

VERDICT

Like Culture Spill Production, Fanaka Arts Theatre stand accused of plagiarism. I cane them with the same cane and similar spite as I did against their brethren in crime. But in so far as acting, directing and production is concerned, Fanaka Arts Theatre leaves behind Culture Spill Productions by thousands of miles…even in a hundred meter dash. Why such talented theatre practitioners as these at Fanaka Arts Theatre allow themselves to be stained by silly crimes of omission is beyond imagination.