ABSTRACT
The potential of theatre to contribute to social change has long been acknowledged. In the early part of the twentieth century Bertolt Brecht actively advocated for the kind of theatre which was not merely ‘culinary’; theatre that merely fed and satisfied its audiences without demanding them to think and imagine a difference in the circumstances of the characters and also in their own circumstances. Through his own practice, he sought to provoke his audiences to think and reflect on how they could change their circumstances outside of theatre, in the real world. Other scholars and theatre practitioners have been sceptical and often wary of such assertions and have fought shy of making categorical claims for socio-political change as a result of theatrical performances. Even practitioners who acknowledge their search for what I refer to as ‘efficacious theatre’ and seek to influence their audiences in some way are quick to concede the difficulties in measuring the efficacy of such work.
Traditional forms of performance in African contexts, however, have always had educational intents and have long been seen as viable means of affecting societal norms and practices. Contemporary African theatre practitioners have, in the main, taken on this ancient role of artists as ‘communal spokespersons’ and ‘the conscience of their societies’ as the Nigerian playwright Femi Osofisan puts it. Even within this context, there has been no real evidence of the transformative power of theatre. Recent audience research has begun to show how African audiences engage with theatrical events and the extent to which these may affect their personal lives and choices. Through specific case studies, this chapter seeks to take this further by exploring the potential of theatre to bring transformation in the lives of its audiences. It explores the conditions under which theatre may be most efficacious.
