The ninth edition of the annual Jos Festival of Theatre ended in the Tin City of Plateau State on Saturday, March 14 on a very impressive note. The closing play by Sefi Atta titled ‘Last Stand’ elicited a lot of applause as well as comments from the many members of audience from different walks of life. It was directed by the festival’s artistic director/producer and founder of the Jos Repertory Theatre (JRT), Patrick-Jude Oteh. The theatre-goers came from around Jos and beyond to support the one festival that brings together people of different faiths in the city that has endured crisis in recent time.
After the last play was staged, Oteh was all thanks to the audience, sponsors and the actors whose contributions made the festival possible. In spite of the challenges of programming before and after the general elections were postponed, Oteh said, it gladdens the heart that the festival, which took place in the grounds of the Allaince Francaise in Jos, recorded such a high turnout.
Indeed, it was a theatre aware audience that graced the five-day festival which opened on March 10 with August Wilson’s play, ‘King Hedley II’. Oteh had also directed the tragi-comedy that had members of cast including Mark Musa, Olajumoke Olatunbosun, David Maisamari, Ejiroghene Oghenechovwen, Patience John-Ebute and Terna Torkwembe. The members of the audience laughed, applauded and even cried as the action unfolded. Even the representative from the U.S. Mission in Nigeria, one of the major supporters of the festival, Robert Kerr, was enamoured by the production, which he watched. He told reporters that the events took place in Pittsburgh, a city in the United States of America (U.S.A.) where he was born, and that the performance was good.
“I was very impressed,” he said although he refused to say who his favourite actor for the night was, saying, “I like them all”.
Other plays staged at the festival were Adinoyi-Ojo Onukaba’s ‘Body Parts’, Jacinto Benavente’s ‘The Bonds of Interest’ and Barclays Ayakoroma’s ‘Castle in the Air’. ‘Body Parts’ was premiering at the festival and the playwright, who said he wrote the play last year, was present and delighted with the performance. It was directed by Sogie Guobadia.
There were also master classes in art management, directing and acting during the festival.
Evangeline Walters, who is brand manager, edibles of Grand Cereals Limited, a major supporter of the festival from the beginning, was not only impressed with the festival, she said her company supported it because they saw the zeal of Oteh.
“This is the way we feel we can give back to the society and also as a corporate social responsibility being where we are because Jos is our base,” she explained.