The Jos Repertory Theatre will be staging three plays including ‘The three-cornered hat’ by Spain’s Pedro Antonio de Alarcón’s. Others are works from Nigerian artistes, Wale Ogunyemi’s ‘Queen Amina of Zazzau’ and Sefi Atta’s ‘Last Stand.’
‘The three-cornered hat’ will show at Transcorp Hilton while ‘Queen Amina’ and ‘Last Stand’ will be staged at Sheraton Hotel. They will be staged in October, November and December, respectively.
Alarcon’s story is based on a magistrate who is infatuated with a miller’s faithful wife and attempts to seduce her.
Queen Amina of Zazzau had shown in Abuja in 2012 and is back again by popular demand. The story chronicles the life of warrior queen, Amina. According to oral tradition, she began ruling Zazzau kingdom between 1588AD and 1622 AD and reigned for thirty four years. She was the older of the two daughters of Bakwa Turunku who founded the kingdom in 1536. Her younger sister, Zariya is whom today’s Zaria is named for.
‘Last Stand’ is the first in a new series of modern Nigerian family plays by Atta. It focuses on a battle of wills between a dying general, Mashood Balogun and his estranged heirs.
When Balogun, on his deathbed, decides to leave his estate to his first son Rotimi, bypassing his daughters, he creates uproar as Rotimi, a medical doctor, refuses to step into his father’s shoes, and his father stands firm in his bid to make Rotimi his successor.
The family conflict plays out, with Rotimi in the end being forced to look after his dying father amidst the looming face-off between father and son.
