WHEN IN ITALY DO AS THE ITALIANS. THAT MEANS COOKING AT ITS BEST

_{HANDS-ON ITALIAN COOKING WITH CLASS}

_{BY Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted January 4, 2017)}

_{The last thing I wanted to do during my brief stay in Italy over the holidays was attend an Italian cooking class. First off, I’m not domestic and although I’m not bad making my steamed sikumu wiki, I prefer not to cook.}

_{I grew up feeling women spend far too much of their precious time in the kitchen and often with little gratitude or appreciation expressed. It’s supposedly taken for granted that ‘women’s place’ is in the kitchen. But I’m afraid I don’t care to be taken for granted by anyone..}

_{But since I was in Italy and there was one visiting family member who was super keen to attend that Italian cooking class, I figured ‘when in Rome (or Italy generally), do as the Romans (the Italians) do.}

_{It was a pleasant surprise to discover that I wasn’t merely attending a boring class about how to make pasta and pizza. I was actually going on a delicious adventure.}

_{First, we had to get to the class by climbing a steep mountain. Fortunately, we were in a car with heaps of horse power, and not on foot. But still, the winding road was a single lane (although meant to be a dual-carriage way), and it seriously snaked its way uphill amidst a thick forest of trees that were swiftly losing their leaves due to the cold weather that hits northern Italy during December.}

_{Anyway, when we finally reached the remote village ‘via dell’Angelo’ and saw the chef’s unassuming house, the scene didn’t look promising. But then as soon as we walked through the front door of Trattoria All’Angelo and met our jolly Italian Chef Mauro Canaglia and his charming American wife Bari, both dressed in white aprons, the cozy warmth of the solid wooden floors, walls, raftered ceiling and wood-burning stoves quickly restored my hope that our journey might be fun and perhaps even enlightening.}

_{Having held these cooking classes for 21 years, the couple is a seasoned team who insists the four-course meal be made by the guests, under his careful tutelage, of course.}

_{Starting off our morning with a classic cappuccino, espresso or macchiato and a slice of his homemade 7-whole grain bread slathered with sweet apricot jam, all 20 of us guests were then given an apron and a printed booklet filled with recipes for each of the four courses we would prepare for our amazing meal.}

_{As wine is cheaper than water in Italy, after each course was made, we all got to sit down and savor our culinary success with a glass of red or white wine (or sparkling water in my case).}

_{The first course was a pumpkin strudel which we all got involved in making, either rolling the dough, spicing up the fresh pumpkin or just munching the little nibbles (with more wine) that were brought out by the chef after he’d assigned duties to everyone.}

_{It was the sweet savory flavor of the strudel that got everyone’s mouthwatering for more. So we were keen to get back to work preparing the pasta for second course at the same time as some of us prepared course number three,  the yummy meatloaf.}

_{But frankly what I was waiting for was the creamy, chocolatey desert that we learned is an Italian classic called tiramisu.}

_{First, we got out the eggs, divided the whites from the yokes. Then, we whipped the yokes till they were fluffy (our chef having all the best and most modern equipment). After that we whipped the eye whites until they too were creamy, light and fluffy. Then he had a special way of gently mixing them together, after which we began to make layers: first came the sweetened fluffy stuff; then came the sweet cookie that had been dipped in freshly made coffee mixed with a touch of sweet liquor; after that came another layer of fluffy stuff and finally each dish was sprinkled with dark chocolate slivers.}

_{The tiramisu was amazing and by then all the guests had gotten to know each other quite well, having shared not just a sumptuous meal but the cooking of it as well.}

_{Plus Bari and Mauro were such warm friendly people they were happy to tell us their back story, even how he’d studied culinary science for five years before starting work in several 5-star hotels in Europe and Canada.}

_{But then his Canadian company sent him to Saint Petersburg, Florida where Bari was waitressing to help cover her university school fees.}

_{‘We met and a year later, we were married,” said Mari who had always wanted to start a business. So they decided to return to his homeland of northern Italy.}

_{“I gave him 6 months to find a restaurant that had the most potential where we could both work,” she said adding “My only condition was he find a place near his family since we had two small children and I wanted family support.”}

_{That’s exactly what they did. Initially, their clientele was only Italians; but then one day in the late 90s an American marketer came and took a class. He loved the course and quickly sent word back to Americans living nearby, and since then, they’ve been their main visitors; although ever since they got a website (www.tratorria-all-angelo. ) their business has gone global.}

_{One thing that’s really charming about Mauro’s classes is that in addition to his being a master chef and engaging teacher, he’s encyclopedic about Italian cooking, history and culture, so it was hard for us to leave after our meal since the couple had wonderful stories to share.}

_{So I’ve revised my view of cooking classes, especially the Italian one that’s both a rustic restaurant and cooking school called Trattoria All’Angelo in northern ltaly.}

Business Daily Life and Margaretta celebrated with Chocolate Cake at Nation Centre

SANAA AWARD WINNERS BD LIFE AND MARGARETTA CELEBRATED NATION CENTRE.
(photos by Salatan Njau)

Chocolate Strawberry cake with Black Forest frosting for Sanaa Awards celebration by BD staff 12.16

BD Managing Editor Rapuro Ochieng speaking to BD staff at Cake Cutting event. 2 trophies from Sanaa Theatre awards given December 14th at Kenya National Theatre

          Gennevieve cutting the cake as Rapuro and Margarettaa stand by with Wahome next in line

                                Margaretta getting set to hand out cake to hungry staff like Wahome

Eager cake lovers like Stellah and Lynet (below)

Kenyan Theatre Exploded with electifying energy and genius in 2016

KENYAN THEATRE EXPLODED WITH TALENT IN 2016

BY Margaretta wa Gacheru

2016 was a break-out year for Kenyan Theatre as it not only saw a spate of new scripts being staged, and a whole slew of new troupes and ad hoc ensembles being formed; we also saw a number of new venues being used to stage amazing productions.

For instance, while audiences were happy to fill theatre halls at Alliance Francaise, Goethe Institute, Louis Leakey Auditorium and even Kenya National Theatre (which attracted more brilliant productions this year than ever before), many were equally pleased to watch shows everywhere from the Oshwal Centre (to see ‘The Jungle Book’), PAWA254 (to watch Jalada players perform Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s ‘The Upright Revolution’ in seven mother tongues) and The Elephant (to see ‘Tinga Tinga Tales’) to the Storymoja stage (to watch Nyef Nyef Storytellers perform ‘A White Wedding’),  the African Leadership Centre (to see the Performance Collective dramatize portions of Yvonne Adhiambo’s novel, ‘Dust’ and even at Kwani? (where five women storytellers dramatized notable African women’s novels in ‘And then she said…’).

The fact that nearly all these venues were fully booked for every performance is a further testimony to the attention that Kenyans themselves are paying to local theatre. This is a dramatic departure from years past when shows were staged for half-full houses (a problem that Phoenix Theatre sadly had most of 2016).

It signals people’s greater appreciation of the entertainment value of live theatre; but it also reflects on the quality of the acting, the directing and even scriptwriting since 2016 is a year when we saw many more original works performed. They included Elsaphan Njora’s ‘51-Nzilan: A Man on a Journey,’ Silvia Cassini’s ‘A Man like You’ (which won accolades at the recent Sanaa Theatre Awards), Eric Wainaina’s ‘Tinga Tinga Tales’, Sitawa Namwalie’s ‘Room of Lost Names’ and Martin Kigondu’s ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’ among others.

But I also have to say the quality of acting shot sky high in 2016 with both actors and actresses giving captivating performances. The Sanaa awards for best actor and best actress went to Maina Olwenya for his role in Cassini’s A Man Like You and June Gachui for her part in Millicent Ogutu’s ‘Three Fold Cord’. But I know the judges had a hard time narrowing down the field to one ‘best’ performer since there were so many outstanding performances this past year.

Just take Three Fold Cord with June co-starring with Nice Githinji and Wambui Kamiru Collymore. All three women gave marvelous monologues, but June had the edge for her special sparkle and intimate style, something we also saw when she launched her first music album, June at 20, at KNT in extravaganza-style.

In fact, as exceptional as Maina and June’s performances were, there were many others that I also found thrilling to behold. For instance, Joe Kinyua in the August Wilson classic, ‘Fences’ was amazing as was Maimouna Jallow in ‘And then she said…’ and Muthoni Garland was in ‘A White Wedding.’

Indeed, the talent that was unleashed this past year in shows like Heartstrings’ ‘Behind my Back’, Festival of Creative Arts’ ‘Nuts+’ and Nyef Nyef Storytellers’ ‘Sheros’ was phenomenal.

And while I am tempted to say that the women actors were stronger than the men in 2016 (in light of performance by Maggie Karanja in Smile Orange, Bernice Nthenya in ‘Kiss of Death’, Anne Kamau in ‘Grass is greener,’ Fridah Muhindi in ‘The Hitman’, Agnes Wangithi in ‘Sheros’, Patricia Kihoro in ‘Life in the Single Lane,’ Marianne Nungo in ‘Who’s your Daddy?’ and Helena Waithera in ‘Nuts+’ among many others) I have to step back and reflect on the whole of 2016.

Then I must admit that there were sparkling performances by guys like Nick Kwach and Victor Nyaata in ‘Behind my Back’, Elsaphan Njora in ’51 Nzilani’, Tete Burugu in ‘A White Wedding’, Checkmate Mido in ‘Silence is a Woman’, Andrew Tumbo in ‘The Jungle Book’, Cyprian Osoro in ‘Grass is Greener’ and both Bilal Wanjau and Bilal Mwaura in countless FCA shows this past year.

Equally impressive was the versatility of virtually all the actors’ performances. For while there are those like Victor Nyaata, Cyprian Osoro and Bernice Nthenya who have a special knack for tickling people’s funny-bone (a gift that Heartstrings’ director Sammy Mwangi has also been blessed with), I watched many actors perform in a range of theatrical genres, shifting from comedy to drama to social satire with ease.

But now that new year is about to begin, thespians and other Kenyan creatives are deeply concerned about the Ezekiel Mutua initiative to censor artists’ creative expression with his proposed ‘Film, Stage Play and Publications Bill’. Mutua’s meddling mustn’t be allowed to stifle Kenyans’ imagination which is generating so much joy for the public and also revenue for the country’s thriving creative economy.

KENYAN THEATRE 2016 IN REVIEW

Kenyan Theatre round-up for 2016

By Margaretta wa Gacheru

Kenyan theatre in 2016 had many more wins than loses. There were new theatre groups formed, new theatre venues established and new playwrights who emerged over the past year.

There were also more established groups taking fresh initiatives (like Gilb’Art Productions doing ‘Edufa’ and Aperture Africa doing ‘Jungle Book’); older theatre venues also picking up steam (like Kenya National Theatre); and known writers being more innovative and often more collaborative in their approach to theatrical productions.

The best example of this last notion of creative expression by collaboration is Ngugi wa Thiong’o’s working with Jalada’s Moses Kilolo and his crew to PAWA254’s Mageuzi Theatre among other venues.

But then, there are also other groups, like Heartstrings Kenya, that produce some of their best shows through a collaborative process (like their last play, ‘Behind my Back’). Other groups that work collaboratively to produce wonderfully creative shows are the Nyef Nyef Storytellers who devised A White Wedding, Maimouna Jallow’s ‘And then she said…” and the Performance Collective which dramatized  Yvonne Adhiambo’s ‘Dust’.

There was also good news that came to light as the year drew to a close, when the Minister of Sports, Culture and the Arts, Dr Hassan Wario informed theatre fans at the 2016 Sanaa Theatre Awards that the Kenya Cultural Centre finally had the title deed to the land on which resides the Centre and Kenya National Theatre.

He also told us of the plan (no longer a rumor) to construct a Kenya International Arts and Culture Centre on the land adjacent to the National Theatre. In these announcements, Dr. Wario seemed to be signaling greater support for theatre from the Kenya government in the coming year.

The National Theatre itself was finally being utilized relatively well in 2016 as there were more events staged there than previously: everything from the Nutcracker Ballet and the Sanaa Theatre Awards to June Gachui’s musical extravaganza marking her album launch of ‘June at 20’, Elsaphan Njora performing his ’51 Nzilani, a man on a journey’ and Millicent Ogutu’s staging of ‘Three Fold Cord’.

Fanaka Players continued doing their popular Kikuyu plays at KNT as did Festival of Creative Arts (staging ‘Nuts+’ twice due to popular demand) and even Gilbert Lukalia’s company Gilb’Art Productions put on the West African musical ‘Edufa’ twice at National Theatre this year.

Other amazing venues that attracted attention and substantial audiences in 2016 were The Elephant, especially when Eric Wainaina and Sheba Hirst produced Claudia Lloyd’s enchanting interpretation of original Kenyan folktales, ‘Tinga Tinga Tales’ and The Oshwal Centre where Aperture Africa produced ‘The Jungle Book’ twice during the year.

Both settings were perfect for performances that enchanted both children and adults alike. Both shows also set high standards of professionalism, not only in terms of the scripts, acting and directing but also the costuming, lighting and sound. 

But there were also some disappointments in 2016 One that I found most surprising was the absence of plays by William Shakespeare staged, especially as there have been worldwide celebrations of the 400^th anniversary since he passed on.

The other local playwright that I missed in 2016 was John Sibi [Ms1] Okumu who previously promised his public that he would produce one original play a year. He’s been fairly consistent up until now, but we’ll have to wait for his next new script, he says, until early next year. Other outstanding local playwrights who entertained us with original scripts were Silvia Cassini with ‘A Man like You’, Kuldip Sondhai whose historical drama Don Geronimo was revived at Mombasa’s Little Theatre and Sitawa Nambelie for both her new script, ‘Room of Lost Names’ and her older ‘Silence is a woman’ which she just staged at National Museum.

Another disappointment is news that Phoenix Theatre may die in 2017 if it doesn’t pay the rent soon. This is disheartening, especially after great shows like Fences, The Hit Man, Middle Ages and Black Maria Striper were staged well at Phoenix in 2016.

Finally, the biggest disappointment of all in 2016 was Ezekiel Mutua’s audacious move to monopolize power over Kenyan creativity with his aggressive proposal of a so-called ‘Film, Stage Plays and Publications Bill’ in the name of protecting Kenyan morality and children’s minds (as if they don’t already have access to YouTube and the worldwide web on their mobile phones).

The bill is a huge over-reach for a man who’s only CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board. But it’s also wonderful to see Kenyan creatives taking on this bully-man to ensure 2017 will be an even more artistically innovative than the outgoing year.  

---

 [Ms1]

POST-TRUTH, OXFORD DICTIONARY'S 2016 WORD OF THE YEAR, VISIBLE ON NAIROBI STAGE

POST-TRUTH PLAYS ON THE NAIROBI STAGE

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted 23.12.2016)

At a time when the Oxford dictionaries just recently selected ‘post-truth’ as their 2016 ‘international word of the year’, the local theatre scene has apparently tuned into the same global trend that claims big talk based on hot air and fat egos are more influential than truth and fact.

Staging shows that amplify the power of duplicity and presence, theatre companies like FCA and Heartstrings have lately put on combustible social satires that implicitly make fun of liars and cons who seem to win hearts and minds by being basically deceitful, audacious and passionately self-serving.

In shows like ‘Nuts+’ and ‘Behind your Back’ (both of which were staged last weekend), it’s the biggest and most presumptuous liars who seem to be succeeding simply by making the boldest, most outrageous claims which they pronounce with so much pompous self-assurance that supposedly only fools and simpletons would believe they’re not lying.

The problem is that con-men and con-women have proved in 2016 that it’s not only the simple-minded and semi-literate who fall prey to believing lies. Even supposedly smart people get lost in the miasma of mendacity and Ponzi schemes.

Some might disagree that Nuts+ is a social satire since there’s a man who’s been murdered and a young wife who’s not only charged with bumping her hubby off, but also charged with being mentally sick, so much so that she needs to be locked up for life since she’s supposedly a menace to society.

What’s more, the young woman, Claudia (Helena Waithera) is a survivor of child-abuse inflicted by her step-dad, Donald (Bilal Wanjau) who’s a politician keen to get this smart-ass kid put away for life.

Nuts+ is actually a serious play that grapples with hard-core hot-potato issues, but for me what gives it that satiric edge is the way a scheming prevaricator like Donald has managed not just to become a politically powerful mayor, but also to persuade the public, including the shrink (Mourad Sadat), the prosecutor (Bokeba Mbotela) and even his wife, Agnes (Marianne Nungo) Claudia’s mother, that he’s an honest, good man despite being the worst of the worst.

So seamless are his lies that he almost gets away with locking up the one person who can destroy his political career and quest for power.

Fortunately, it’s finally the Judge (Angel Waruinge) who manages to see through the pretentious plan of both parents, and rule in Claudia’s favor.

But just image the way everyone else was duped by Donald, the child predator and the one who ought to be put away.

Probably, the better example of a ‘post-truth’ play that more flagrantly satirized con-men and women is Heartstrings’ ‘Behind Your Back’ which seriously spoofed so many ways that some Kenyans have learned how to play kleptomaniac games and slip into other people’s shoes (pocket-books and beds) without the slightest pang of conscience.

Stealing other people’s identities isn’t simply a ‘Kenyan thing’ by any means. Sadly, it’s happening all over the world, to the point where hackers can get into people’s personal secrets and even their bank accounts without fear of getting caught.

Amos (Victor Nyaata) is Dominic (Nick Kwach)’s house help but when the boss leaves town (almost), Amos takes on Dom’s identity, all so he can woo the pretty lady, Nyokabi (Adelyne Wairimu) who shows up at his door.

Not quite equipped to step in the boss’s shoes, his pretentious ineptitude is terribly funny, but Nyokabi initially seems impressed. But then the boss shows up, (his flight having been cancelled) and quickly sizes up the scene, so he also pretends to be Amos in order to help his houseman save face.

Their dexterous duplicity is delightful, especially as they swap identities severally, reverting back to the truth, every time Nyokabi leaves the room.

But what’s really fun is when the boss’s mistress Elizabeth (Mackryn Adhiambo) shows up, only to discover her maid, Nyokabi is there, wearing her clothes and pretending to be her.  It’s a shocker, especially as we see everybody’s playing a game.

But the ‘coup de grace’ comes when the Elizabeth’s spouse (Cyprian Osoro) shows up and the whole charade explodes, only showing that post-truth ultimately isn’t likely to last forever. Truth, we have heard, is ultimately bound to win the day. But one can only believe that if you too are a true believer.

Finally, Martin Kigondu’s directing a brand new dramatized production of poetry by Joan Sikand, all about ‘Peace and Love’ with music by Checkmate Mido and Serro, dance by Brigette Ikwara and a cast including Nick Ndeda, Angela Mwandanda and Laura Ekunbo. It’s happening at The Tribe Hotel January 6^th and 7^th.

GIFT GIVING WITH KENYAN ART

GIFTING KENYAN ART

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted December 16, 2016)

It’s never easy to know what to give a special family member or friend at Christmas that is novel and new. You’d like to surprise them with something they didn’t even know they ‘needed’ but once you’ve given them, they’re delighted to have it.

SENTIMENTAL ART

The Family portrait by Seth 'Sketcher' Odhiambo

Nobody feels good about giving something that you value but once given, you suspect it will either be tossed in a bottom drawer or into the garbage. So gift-giving isn’t easy.

Why not try gifting art to the special people in your life. You can do so by spending a little or a lot, depending on your taste and that of the gift-recipient.

Probably the surest gift you can give is something sentimental, for instance, something associated with their family. There’s also fine art that is functional, be it for their home, their wardrobe or something that will brighten up and beautify their life.

Family portrait by Jack Birgen

Graphite portraits of family are one of the easiest yet most appreciated gifts you can give. There are quite a few outstanding Graphite artists in Kenya who, when given a family photograph, can replicate that image perfectly or as close to perfection as you can imagine. Most of them are quite reasonable price-wise. And I can assure you, family will be thrilled a nicely-mounted drawing to hang on their wall. Among the artists best known for their pencil portraits are Seth ‘Sketcher’ Odhiambo, Nicholas Odhiambo, Jack Birgen, Bebeto Ochieng Thufu and Victor Opiyo. The easiest way to find them is on Facebook.

FUNCTIONAL ART

                                 Outdoor/Indoor dining room set in wood sculpted by Elijah Ogira

Functional art consists mainly of home furnishing that are extra-ordinary, often organic as in they are made out of natural wood and hand-carved by a sculptor who knows how to enhance the elegance, beauty and eye-catching originality of their work.

Gakunju Kaigwa with his wood root mirror frame@Art Space

One of the best-known Kenyan artists who specializes in functional art is Gakunju Kaigwa who creates everything from benches, stools and chairs to mirror frames, coffee and dining room tables.

     Kenyatta University Art Lecturer Anne Mwiti sitting on Gakunju Kaigwa wood seat

Elijah Ogira is another outstanding sculptor who creates functional art, including bed-frames that are beautiful. Both artists are environmentally sensitive and only work with found wood to create one-of-a-kind functional works of art.

PAINTINGS & PRINTS

      Patrick Kinuthia's landscape paintings&portraits can be bought either as an original or a print

Prints and paintings. Beautiful paintings by local artists can easily be found in galleries and art centres, ranging from One Off, Circle Art and Banana Hill Galleries to GoDown and Kuona Trust where one can visit artists in their studios where they’re at work. Prices for paintings, be they landscapes, portraits or abstract art, can run from one thousand to one million shillings and more. But you’ve a tight budget, the best way to go is to buy prints of original paintings by everyone from Jak Katarikawe and Patrick Kinuthia to Yony Waite, Dennis Muraguri and John Silver Kimani.

Signed print by Jak Katarikawe of his original oil painting now at Nairobi Gallery

FASHION ACCESSORIES

Michael Soi with his hand-painted fashion bags were on exhibit at the Italian Institute of Culture in 2016

Fashion accessories are always fun items to receive since they invariably add a touch of luxury to one’s wardrobe and even notoriety. For example, Michael Soi’s hand-painted tote bags are all one-of-a-kind items that Soi initially publicized on Facebook. But then, once Kenya’s own Academy award winning actress and model Lupito Nyong’o got one and showed it off to the paparazzi photographers who populate her life,

A happy recipient of a Michael Soi Afro-Beauty bag

Soi’s sales in these sturdy Afro-beauty bags began to soar and have been flying out of Soi’s GoDown studio as quickly as he can create them.

ICONIC WOOD CARVINGS

The Last Supper in mahogany wood carved by Rwandese artist Bahimba

As we’re in the Christmas holiday season, receiving a polished, hand-carved wood panel portraying an iconic image like ‘The Last Supper’ might be a truly memorable gift. Created by Rwandese artist Bahimba Thaddee Macumi who also carves amazing tables and chairs, the wooden panel is a cross between a painting and a wood sculpture. Bahimba can be found at his workshop in the Kivuli Centre in Riruta, Dagoretti or on Facebook. He also makes beautiful checker-board-like rugs and carpets with goat and cow skins.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURES

         Scrap metal sculptures of birds and Gazelles are just a few creatures made by Kioko Mwitiki

Outdoor sculptures can have a stunning impact on the recipient of such a gift. They are best given to someone with a garden since they deserve to have a bit of space to be seen and appreciated. Kioko Mwitiki is Kenya’s best known scrap-metal sculptor whose specialty is monumental wildlife sculpture. He’s especially popular for his life-size elephants, rhinos and giraffes which he often exhibits in the USA at the San Diego Zoo in California. Kioko’s art is so well received at the Zoo that he fills whole containers with his metal creatures. His Pimbi Gallery in Lavington is the easiest way to find him. It’s also where one can see his marvelous menagerie of wildlife sculptures which come in all sizes, not only life-size but miniature as well.

WALL MURALS

         Lupita Nyong'o on wall at the GoDown Art Centre by Graffiti artist Bankslave (Kevin Esendi)

Finally, one gift item you may not have considered before is a wall mural made either with paints (be it acrylic, spray or wall paint) or mosaic tiles.

You can have one painted or put up on a wall inside your home, be it in a child’s nursery, a kitchen or sitting room, or outside on a garage or front door, a side wall or even on a front or back gate. You can see Maryann Muthoni’s mosaic tile murals at the entrance of Two Rivers mall, Graffiti wall art at the Railways Museum and Dust Depo, and mosaic scrap metal sidewalks at Kitengela Glass Trust.

You can also buy hand-blown glass beads at Kitengela Glass Trust (blown in this glass bead 'Hut' where mosaic glass tiles are everywhere, on the walls, in the doors, used as windows and even on sidewalks.

  

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS WITH ERIC WAINAINA AND KING DODGE'S NEW MUSICAL

CELEBRATING THE HOLIDAYS WITH SONG

By Margaretta wa Gacheru (posted 16.12.2016)

‘Tis the season’ to be jolly and to sing with joy and storytelling that inspires others to appreciate the finer things in life, such as family and friends, beauty and creative expression.

Eric Wainaina singing with his 7 year old daughter 'Noel' at The Elephant. show to be aired Christmas day on NTV

Last weekend, ‘Tis the season’ was the title of a wonderful musical medley made up of many of Kenya’s brightest and most beautiful voices, accompanied by an excellent band including trumpeters, keyboard players, guitarists and drummers.

It all happened in Lavington at The Elephant Club, produced by Sheba Hirst, directed by Kenya’s most popular crooner Eric Wainaina. It was moderated by the delightful duo, Patricia Kihoro and Elsaphan Njora,

with mainly classic Christmas carols sung in such a funky, R & B style that even small children were on their feet dancing to the rhythmic renditions of everything from ‘The Little Drummer Boy’, ‘Away in a Manger’ and ‘Go tell it on the mountain’ to ‘We Three Kings’, ‘Hark the Herald Angels Sing’ and ‘God Rest ye Merry Gentlemen.’

Sung with a polish, poiseand professionalism that has come to be associated with all of Sheba Hirst’s productions, the vocalists included Eric and Patricia of course, but also Noel Nderitu, Karimi Wamai, Chris Adwar, Atemi Oyingu (who also slipped in a bit of Beyonce’s ‘Drunken Love’) and Kanju Mbugua among others.

But the shining star of the night was Sheba and Eric’s seven year old daughter Seben who sang ‘The First Noel’ (accompanied by her dad) with show-stealing style!

The Good News is that if you missed the live performance, it will be shown on Christmas Day on NTV in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, the other musical gift to be screened this coming Sunday at Ngecha Art Centre is ‘Wendo wa Mbomboi’, a production scripted and directed by King Dodge Kingoroti. Loosely translated from the Gikuyu, the title refers to a children’s game called ‘Mbomboi’ that Dodge recalls playing as a child. It’s also the game that three young girls are playing as the film opens and which two boys innocently interrupt. So the title translates is ‘Love of Mbomboi’, suggesting the child-like innocence of the love that unfolds in the film.

Yet there’s nothing innocent about the old men subsequently negotiating the child marriage of one of the girls to one of the old men as they drink muratina (honey beer) and carelessly plan to deprive the young girl of her agency, her right to choose and the first love of her life.

She rebels, taking the only way out that she can see, which is suicide. I won’t be a spoiler and disclose what happens next. You will either have to go to Ngecha to see the film at 2pm when you can watch the film and meet the cast. Or you can get the DVD from Dodge.   

King Dodge wrote Wendo wa Mbomboi some years ago; but out of concern for the disappearance of beautiful Gikuyu songs that he could see were being forgotten by the present generation, he decided to revive his play and also film it for present and future generations.