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Thrills and chills at drama, film festival
Mount Kenya University-Thika stage the play ‘Roses of Blood’ at Shanzu Teachers College in Mombasa yesterday.
What you need to know:
- Kenya Methodist University presented a play I See You directed by Xavier Nato.
- The powerful presenter, Victoria Chao, moved the audience as she presented the piece titled Under My Umbrella.
Mount Kenya University-Thika moved the audience with a thrilling play titled Roses of Blood where mental health was the central theme during the fourth day of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival at Shanzu Teachers College, Mombasa, yesterday.
A boy suffers from mental health and has to undergo counselling in a mental facility. The rich production techniques gave the play an edge as colleges and universities battle for the 2023 title. The play, produced by Prof Simon Gicharu, revolves around the death of a young girl which stirs up resentment, madness and obsession in the family.
The roots that have stayed long under the soil are now blooming in the form of withered branches. For this family, hope is all they have left in the hands of the terrible luck called fate. With a madman, a killer and a dead girl, who is to save the family.
Jacob Koli (Madman), Jewel Machoka ( Audesia), Steve Odera (Father), Irene Akinyo (Ghost), Marylynn Wangari (Mother), Antony Macharia (brother of Madman) and Abigali Wangui (daughter) carried the day with their powerful acting and propelling the agenda of love and support to the Madman struggling to recover.
MKU also staged a narrative, Nagawa, a story that seeks to address the dangers of identity theft on social media where a man seeking love and a wife is duped on social media platforms by a man pretending to be a woman and ready to be a wife.
Gionseri Primary School pupils, from Nyanza, display their creative costumes at the 61st Edition of the Kenya National Drama and Film Festival at Shimo La Tewa High School in Mombasa County yesterday.
Kenya Methodist University presented a play I See You directed by Xavier Nato.
Bishop Luvega (Edwin Wafula) is facing a huge puzzle to solve. Who will inherit his wealth upon his demise?
His children are in the ICU eager to know the content of the Will. The firstborn, Bosco (Justin Rama), takes the bull by the horn pushing the family lawyer, Karani (Samuel Baraza), to read the Will which can only be read upon the Bishop’s death.
They are left with one hurdle, to order the Doctor (Sidney Amaya) to switch off the life support machine, something the younger sister Palake (Anne Nyawino) vehemently opposes.
This push and pull exposes the children’s intentions for their father. The stepmother, Sasha (Viola Mutai), is also a fly in the soup as she too wants her share.
The play takes dramatic turns as more players join the inheritance game, with Mohammed (Mike Ndaka), the prodigal son, returning and Amapiano, the church choir mistress, claiming she is carrying the Bishop’s child and demands a share.
The quagmire finally ends when Bishop Luvega comes out of the fake coma he was in — a scheme plotted by Karani and the doctor with the intent to give him a level mind to decide on who’s loyal to him.
Bungoma High School presents a choral verse during the third day of the of Kenya National Drama Festival and Film Festival at Shanzu Teachers College on April 22,2023.
The play was written and directed by Xavier Jerry Nato and produced by Dr Susan Laimaru.
Zetech University’s play titled Deliver Us from Jezebel is driven by the female chauvinist called Madonna who believes that the battle of the sexes must be won by the female gender. It was written and directed by Churchill Hongo.
Yesterday, teacher training colleges took the centre stage. The Kericho TTC, Eregi TTC, Chester, Shanzu TTC, Egoji TTC, Kamwenja TTC and Turkana Teachers were among those featured in the programme.
With their dramatised solo verse, Kericho TTC artistically addressed the women leadership issue and demonstrated the importance of offering support to the less fortunate in society.
The powerful presenter, Victoria Chao, moved the audience as she presented the piece titled Under My Umbrella.
The persona, the Woman Member of the National Assembly, critically addresses her role in offering support to the girl-child who is seen to suffer negligence and poverty.
The verse was scripted by Ng’eno Geoffrey and directed by Foy Ongaya, Victor Achesa and Brian Mutende. It was produced by Madam Elda Achungo, the chief principal of Kericho TTC.
Mwaani Girls High School stages a play Generation Z produced by Joan Muchina during day two of the ongoing Kenya National Drama and Film Festival at Shimo la Tewa high School on April 22, 2024.
They also presented a spoken word piece titled Forgotten which showed the audience how society had turned a blind eye on the boy-child who has been the champion of female issues yet has now been left out of the main decision-making programmes.
All the focus has now been moved to girls. The perfect piece was presented by Thomas Nzai.
Teacher training colleges have suffered a low student population during this festival. This is due to the low student enrolment in teacher training colleges in the recent past due to the changes in the enrolment criteria.
