Sweet victory for festival winners
Eric Kiraithe representing Communications Authority of Kenya DG Ezra Chiloba presents a trophy to Education CS Ezekiel Machogu and Kenya National Drama and Film Festival Chairman Prof C.J Odhiambo at Shimo La Tewa High School on April 29, 2023. CA is the theme sponsor of this year's edition.
A play by Riara Springs Girls High School, titled “The Eyes Have It”, scooped top honours during the just concluded Kenya National Drama and Film Festival.
The performance won Best Production, Best Play on English, Best Actress and Best Scripted Play at the national event at Shimo la Tewa High School in Mombasa.
The play is about a society that has placed a profound significance on appearance, aesthetics and pigmentation.
On instances where there is inherent visibility of skin disorder, self -esteem is often compromised. In the play, “Nuru”, a Form One student with vitiligo is body shamed, ostracised and bullied by Kyler — Miss Ocean Pearls Academy — and her friends, nicknamed Minions.
The play emerged tops in the secondary category alongside other plays by Friends School Kamusinga and Laiser Hills.
University of Nairobi’s “The Last Genesis”, a multiple award winning play written by Dr SP Otieno and directed by Mr Bartholomew Nyagonchong'a, scooped all the awards in the plays category.
The play that addresses mental health challenges was voted the best item of the festival for it's effectiveness and suitability for the audience.
“At Sea”, scripted by Fardowsa Omar, is a modern creative dance by the University of Nairobi that portrays a person struggling with negative emotions. It won the Adjudicators Award and Best Music Composition.
Also Read: Thrills and chills at drama, film festival
“The Rope”, a winning solo verse by the University of Nairobi, is a poem that talks about the journey of a young man, Allan, who struggles with identity and social pressure, which leads to him contemplating suicide.
He finally manages sail through this journey and creates an application.
Mount Kenya University’s winning oral narrative “Nagawa” addresses the dangers of identity theft on social media, where a man who is seeking love and a wife is duped on social media by a man pretending to be a woman who is ready to be a wife.
njagi2011@gmail,com
