ABSTRACT

The Performance Arts in Africa is the first anthology of key writings on African performance from many parts of the continent.
As well as play texts, off the cuff comedy routines and masquerades, this exciting collection encompasses community-based drama, tourist presentations, television soap operas, puppet theatre, dance, song, and ceremonial ritualised performances. Themes discussed are:
* theory
* performers and performing
* voice, language and words
* spectators, space and time.
The book also includes an introduction which examines some of the crucial debates, past and present, surrounding African performance.
The Performance Arts of Africa is an essential introduction for those new to the field and is an invaluable reference source for those already familiar with African performance.

chapter |26 pages

Introduction

part 1|68 pages

Theory

chapter 2|11 pages

Myth, ritual and drama in Igboland

chapter 3|20 pages

What's in a mask*

chapter 4|9 pages

Acting Africa

chapter 5|17 pages

National erotica

The politics of ‘traditional' dance in Tanzania

part 2|92 pages

Performers and performing

chapter 7|21 pages

The gods as guests

An aspect of Kalabari religious life

chapter 9|9 pages

Gyinna-Gyinna

Making the djinn manifest

chapter 11|13 pages

Playing the puppets

Innovation and rivalry in Bamana youth theatre of Mali

part 3|90 pages

Voice, language and words in performance

chapter 12|9 pages

Storytelling theatre in Sierra Leone

The example of Lele Gbomba

chapter 16|10 pages

Comic Opera in Ghana

chapter 18|19 pages

Horrific comedy

Cultural resistance and the Hauka movement in Niger

part 4|81 pages

Spectators, space and time in performance

chapter 20|14 pages

Masks and secrecy among the Chewa

chapter 22|10 pages

Theatre and social issues in Malawi

Performers, audiences, aesthetics

chapter 23|18 pages

Fathers and sons

Politics and myth in recent Zambian drama

chapter 24|19 pages

The art of festival in Ghana