Death And The King's Horsemen is quite phenomenal

(Endowed Blogs.)
Set during the second world war Soyinka's play "Death And The King's Horsemen" is a must read and watch.

The story, based on an incident that took place in Oyo in 1946 sees the king's horseman, Elesin, preparing to follow the ancient custom of committing ritual suicide after his master's death.

play Death And The King's Horsemen by Arambe productions (Pulse)

Suspense, drama, energetic performances, fantastic lightning and props, Arambe productions with the aid of Terrakulture brings Wole Soyinka's highly talked about play to life.

The audience watches as the stage moves from the world of a raffia-filled -market to the colonist homes, the prison which eventually leads to the play's elemental conclusion.

play Death And The King's Horsemen by Arambe productions (Pulse)

Against the wishes of Elesin's eldest son returned from studying medicine in London, British district officer, Pilkings,  places the horseman under arrest with disastrous consequences.

play Death And The King's Horsemen by Arambe productions (Pulse)

In one sense, the play is a timely warning against the perils of "humanitarian intervention". Olunde, the horseman's son, tells Pilkings's wife, "You have no respect for what you do not understand."

Using the alienation effect Bisi Adigun makes it easier by presenting the play with an all-black cast that "whites" up to play the colonialists. This yields moments of comedy seeing the Elesin's daughters mimicking the British habit of leg crossing and the Pilkings posing as upper-class imperialists is hilarious. There are sterling performances from the horseman, his son and the market leader.

play Death And The King's Horsemen by Arambe productions (Pulse)

At the end, one emerges fascinated and overwhelmed but also disturbed by Soyinka's ideas, the notion that death can be seen as a triumphant entrance rather than a tragic exit.