FISH CHEGE THE MAN TO WATCH: GEN. THEO #1

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (wrote September 24, 2023)

Not everybody speaks Kikuyu¸ not even all those who have a ‘wa’ as their middle name. Nonetheless, if someone is good at reading body language and is fortunate to have as good a translator as Nyambura wa Maina was last Sunday when we met at Kenya Cultural Centre to watch ‘Nyitia Njohero’ or ‘Tightening the belt’, then one could at least get the gist of the play. Directed by Chege Muthamaki (aka Fish) who also co-stars with Humphrey Maina and Titus Wainaina as the three male patients staying in the Men’s Ward, the show is a comedy. But it is no ordinary comedy. “It made me laugh so hard, i felt like I was about to break a rib,” one audience member, Samson Kibocho told BFLife shortly after the show’s rather unfortunate ending. “There were several moments when I was laughing so hard, I had to step out of the auditorium as I was making so much noise,” he confessed. Set in the men’s ward of some anonymous rural hospital, each man has a different story to share. All three were from different generations. The oldest one is Chege’s character, General Theodore, who has been staying in the hospital ward for nearly 20 years. In fact, the anniversary of his arrival is upcoming; so is his impending departure due to hospital policy stating that 20 years is enough. Yet in all those years, the General had never been visited by a single family member, not a wife, nor a child. Their absence led him increasingly to feel like the only family he has is at the hospital.

Next in line after the General came Karuri, played by Humphrey Maina who we have most recently seen performing with Crony Players. But in Nyitia Njohero, he has a more prominent role, bantering with ‘Fish’ Chege about women and his desire to get together with their nurse, Wandia aka Karembo (Daisy Micere). Unfortunately, Karuri’s hopes of getting together with Wandia are dashed once the youngest patient to the Men’s ward arrives. James Ng’ure (Titus Wainaina) comes to their ward, bloodied, bullied, and badly beaten. His vulnerability has an appeal to Nurse Wandia that infuriates Karuri. Supported by the General who spurs him on in his verbal assaults against the pup, Ngure is more preoccupied with his pain rather than the threats coming from Karuri. His pain is so palpable, Ngure can’t help himself. He weeps nonstop and this gives Ngure and the General a chance to fight for patriarchal position related to their tradition on manhood wherein there is and still is no room for whimpering or weepy men.

That argument could have continued forever. Instead, there’s a blackout. And when the lights come back on, we see the Captain pondering over a document which we later learn is a Will. What we also learn is that the elder patient. General Theodore is worth a fortune which is how he could cover the costs of living in the hospital for 20 Years. In fact, Theodore has essentially subsidized the hospital all that time. But what is even more stunning is the fact once the will is read, that the General decided to leave all his wealrth to the only family he has had during those decades, the hospital. And before he chose to dole out his dollars, shillings, pounds sterling, Chinese.. and Russian,, he has secretly hadarock-solid relationship with Nurse Margareta.

But then the tide turns one last time when after bringing booze into the hospital in violation of hospital rules, Ngure slips and spills the alchohol all over the General’s wires, causing sparks to fly and the machine keeping the General alive, explodes and then dies. Both the machine and the captain die. The comedy’s story comes full circle, with the ending leaving us at a loss. We wish the Fish hadn’t died. But somehow, that was the best way for the story eo end. Well done for this new kikuyu company which will see again soon