THE HISTORY OF AFRICAN THEATER

Africa is a home to several traditions of theatre. Some traditions are of

ancient origin, while others colonization of the continent in the 19th

century and the subsequent imposition of western education,

religion and culture. The older tradition are done in African languages.

Many of the newer theatre traditions are text based, written in

European languages or indigenous African Languages with Latin script.

The plays are designed to be performed in more or less formal

theater buildings with fixed relations between performers and

audience.

The audience usually pays a fee, although the theater may not be

expressly commercial. In all cases, as indeed in all societies, the

functions of the theater traditions are broadly similar in their mixing

of the pleasing and the pedagogical: their representations provide

the audience with pleasurable entertainment while simultaneously

channeling passions and sentiments in certain directions. The ...