Description
Book SynopsisLooks at the lives, challenges and contributions of African women from across the continent to making and participating in theatre in the 21st century. Drawing on expertise from across the African continent this collection reflects the realities for women working and making theatre: how Egyptian director Dalia Basiouny has documented the "Tahrir Stories" of the Egyptian Revolution; how in Uganda women have used various theatrical devices, such as oral poetry, to seek common ground in a rural-urban inter-generational theatre project; and the use of physical theatre to examine disavowed memory in South Africa. The contributors also look at how practitioners are re-thinking performance space and modes of performance for gendered advocacy in Botswanan theatre, and how women are addressing gender-based violence and rape culture, comparing performance and street-based activism in South Africa and India. A particular strength of the volume is its interviews: with Jalila Baccar of Tunisia, by Marvin Carlson; six Ethiopian actresses are interviewed and introduced by Jane Plastow and Mahlet Solomon; and Ariane Zaytzeff explores "Making art to reinvent culture" with Odile Gakire Katese of Rwanda. The new play to be published is The Sentence by Sefi Atta, introduced and contextualized by Christine Matzke. Volume Editors: JANE PLASTOW & YVETTE HUTCHISON Guest Editor: CHRISTINE MATZKE Series Editors: Martin Banham, Emeritus Professor of Drama & Theatre Studies, University of Leeds; James Gibbs, Senior Visiting Research Fellow, University of the West of England; Femi Osofisan, Professor of Drama at the University of Ibadan; Jane Plastow, Professor of African Theatre, University of Leeds; Yvette Hutchison, Associate Professor, Department of Theatre & Performance Studies, University of Warwick
Trade ReviewThe geographical span of the work under discussion is impressive, moving through Egypt, Tunisia, Uganda, Nigeria, Tanzania, Botswana, South Africa, France, the UK, U.SA and Germany. * STUDIES IN THEATRE AND PERFORMANCE *
The book shoulders the responsibility of bringing to light the theatre-making efforts of African artists within their local contexts. * THEATRE RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL *
This book should be seen as a necessary guide that should enable others to pursue the conversation on how to improve accessibility and the work of African women in theatre. * LONDON SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS BLOG *
Table of ContentsForeword - Jane Plastow and Yvette Hutchison and Christine Matzke Introduction - Sandra Richards The work of Dalia Basiouny: an artist's account - Dalia Basiouny Performativities as activism: addressing gender-based violence and rape culture in South Africa & beyond - Nicola Cloete Performativities as activism: addressing gender-based violence and rape culture in South Africa & beyond - Sara Matchett Exploring poetic voice in the Uganda Women's Intergenerational Theatre Project - Susan Nalugwa Kiguli and Jane Plastow 'After images': impressions of the 'after' by South Africa performer-choreographer Mamela Nyamza's - Alude Mahali Jallila Baccar of Tunisia: a portrait of an artist - Marvin Carlson In conversation: interrogating and shifting societal perceptions of women in Botswana through theatre - Lebogang Disele Binti Leo: women in the arts in Tanzania - Vicensia Shule Odile Gakire Katese: making art & reinventing culture with women: interview - Ariane Zaytzeff Contemporary Ethiopian actresses - Jane Plastow and Mahlet Solomon Introduction to Sefi Atta's The Sentence - Christine Matzke Playscript: The Sentence by Sefi Atta - Sefi Atta Book reviews
