DIANA, LEOdEAR DIANA, LEONARD, AND SIMON,dEAR DIANA, LEONARD, AND SIMON,

soi milena draft in complete july 7

 

Reminiscent of her days of running and co-founding the RaMoMa Gallery with Mary collis, Carol lees used to curate sometimes five exhibitions at the same time.

Now back at One Off gallery which she established in 1994, Carol consistently curates a minimum of two ‘solo’ shows simultaneously at One Off.

Currently, she’s hosting two exhibitions at a go, one well-established, and much-loved artist, Michael soi and newcomer to Nairobi’s thriving art scene, Milena Ele??…., a Polish architect and artist who only came to this country in 2018, has promising-days to come.

Michael is renowned, both for being a brand name, particularly among women living locally both locally and among those living in global cities where they proudly carry his trendy fashion statements which are affordable in cost and functional, big enough to carry computers, books and other essential things.   

But he has a few negative critics who dismiss his art as being either cartoonish or a cliché and bought only by those who can’t afford his paintings. Yet there’s nothing wrong or demeaning about being poor. Instead, it reflects the buyers’ sense of taste and style. And often, we find those cynical critics are just jealous and envious of Soi’s fame and commercial success.  

ironically,,one of the keys to Soi’s success is selling his art at affordable prices that everyday people can buy, unlike many (but not all) younger artists who are inclined to imitate their elder painters who often mark up their prices once they cease an opportunity.

What’s more, those critics who don’t appreciate his work also tend not to understand his style of symbolism, sense of irony, or social commentary. He has commented on everything from sports and corruption to prostitution and sex in the city to china in Africa which is considered the most controversial and political of all his series of works. (He even got visitors from the Chinese representites from the Chinese embassy who expressed their displeasure with what his art was saying about their country in relation Africa, especially kenya. It was exposing china’s imperial, long and short-term plans to eventually neo-colonize the whole region which the Chinese didn’t like. But soi wasn’t phased by what could have been considered a threat since china has already given mr ruto got hefty loans and lots more taxes that Kenyan people will eventually have to pay.

But soi has also painted on other controvertial topics like prostitution disguised as Masssge for sale which some feminists didn’t like. Nonetheless, a few got into his current exhibition which is an eclectic showcase filled with a wide array of issues and imagery including men with beautiful headgear, some looking like royal crowns, others looking like helmets fit for warfare.

Soi also included are several women doing ‘Odd job’ like painting walls instead of doing the task of being a sex worker.

 

 

But whatever topic he picks to tackle, Soi makes merry with it. There is always an undercurrent of fun and fun that is happy creating a bit of havoc  for those who under his sense of humor for those who understand.

Then just next door in the loft at one off, Milena eeee??? Is an arcketict who since coming to kenya in 2018 has focused more  on painting than designing building homes and hospitals. But her arcitectual aptititude creps into several of her works. For instance, she has painted several water colors. They include including her home which is a classic colonial style which is delicaticaly drawn and then finished with water-colors that capture the mood, ambiance, and light and water colors on paper. She even has included one a sharp pencil drawing of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

crony 2 marriage draft

Crony players have a thing about marriage and punchlines that rarely fail to shock or at least surprise because any clues that they might have been laid before their story is almost done are buried deep inside so one cannot suspect the show’s outcome unless you have a super sniffer expertise in digging out clues, much like a hound goes after a dog bone or german shephard who’s been trained to sniff out drugs or bombs that druggies or terrorists believe they can slip into the country.  

BD LIFE was also surprised  crony’s current story was so predicable in that turned out to be about infidelity. Then again, I was also surprised at crony’s success in remaining unpredictable as to who the culprit would be that had the last word before the curtain came down.

We will desist from being the spoiler to reveal who the confessor was. For now, the story is more interesting, at least to the audience who came to Braeburn theatre Gitanga road last weekend (7/7/24). Their spontaneous burst of laugher after almost every line that the characters spoke in humorous (often unscripted) words. They were backed up by their body language which also spoke volumes about the way crony’s current cast works together as a tight intuitive ensem ble.

The story began with a group of married male panelists apparently on TV. They were all                              experts in various fields. But they were not there to talk about their professional expertise. They came to chat about the controversial issue of marriage. Their consensus was that marriage was more like a jail than a joyful place for peace of mind.

Immediately after that, there’s a quick flip over to victor’s () house where his mother in law looks like she’s having the time of her life, feasting and sleeping at his son in law’s expense.  She’s also accompanied by her personal ‘Cook’ (Ben teko’) and she plans to there   until her demise which soon since has her cook buy her fruits and eggs with son in law’s money in order to have a ‘healthy life’.

Naturally, this situation is untenable situation especially as his wife sided with her mother. But the moment cucu steps out of the room, victor tells his wife of his frustrations. Speaking in funny metaphors, he’s really talking about sex and his lack of it since her mom arrived. She understood but still took her mom’s. side.

At some point, victor called his uncle (Humphry maina) for help urgently. The moment he came, he already had a strategy for getting for getting for both the mother in law and her cook who had also too comfortable, eating and sleeping in the way as the cucu did. But it turned out he also had his own self interests to insert into vic’s story. The young girl who he’d brought was also his side chick. But before that played out, cook exploded, counter to his image of his being a humble, submissive man. Now cook’s wrath was sharply aimed at the uncle who also happened to be from a different ethnic  community, suggesting that tribalism played a part in uncle’s efforts to kick him out of victor’s house.  But before the two could get into physical fight, uncle’s wife showed up, annoying uncle who was looking to also have fun with his side chick who turned out to be…(_).  

Now were beging to see that every had secrets that nobody was supposed to nobody was supposed to know. But gradually, we will see who was sleeping with whom.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Crony players have a thing about marriage and punchlines that rarely fail to shock or at least surprise because any clues that they might  have laid before there story is also done are buried deep inside so one cannot suspect the show’s outcome unless one has a super sniffer expertise in digging out the clues, much like a hound goes after a dog bone or german shephard who’s been trained to sniff out drugs or bombs that druggies or terrorists believe they can slip into the country.                                                                                                                  

emma and lion king drat dont look

 

Practically everyone knows the story of The Lion King. They have seen it either live on Broadway or the West End or on either one or both of Disney’s film versions of this      spectacular production which was rumored to have been inspired by the Kenyan countryside as well our fauna and flora.

They know that it’s a story about                                                                                                                                                        succession, toxic jealousy, envy, and treachery leading to the murder of one brother by another. It’s also about the beauty of Africa and the humanizing of its wildlife .

So when the Banda school decided to stage this award-winning musical, adapted and directed by another award-winning actor-singer Emma whithill, (who will be leaving the school for greener pastures soon), many theatre lovers of her work with KADS, (The kenya amateur dramatic society) came to see her last musical before she left the country. They gave her and her cast and crew multiple standing ovations for their marvelous performance. 

Now became the issue of how each element of the show fit together at every level of its performance and how that fit made one feel the musical was perfect, much like a picture puzzle whose parts fit together into a practically perfect whole.

Those elements include everything from the adaptation and editing of the script to the costuming including the headdresses and masks  and make-up, to the music, chorus, solo vocalist, sound, and lighting, to the choreography, set design, and acting including the directing of the whole musical by the brilliant performing artist emma whithill who was previously staging (or simply singing, acting, and dancing as she did in the wicked, Shrek, rock of ages and many other shows in which she performed with in KADS (Kenya amateur Dramatic society). The lion king was her last show that she was staging just before her departure from the banda and kenya for greener pastures. So this Musical was one of mixed emotions among her students and herself as she is much loved by them and the whole school.  she’s a dynamo who has inspired and super-charged up like an Energizer battery that can light up a whole room with its light and glorious glow.

But as an editor and adapter of the of the script, she can be criticized by anyone who had seen the complete production live and felt too much of lion king had been removed for their taste. Certainly, they are entitled to their opinion. But a vast number of others are far more positive and appreciative of the entire musical.   

Another element that hit us once we walked into banda’s social hall was the costuming, especially the headdresses, crown, and hand-painted masks which were striking to see. The most stunning,to our taste, was the gorgeous gown worn by the prophetess who came on stage whenever someone needed her wisdom and foresight. And as for headdresses, the most beautiful were worn by the first lion king, then by the young prince Simba and Spark, the cynical villain whose jealousy and envy of his older brother created the central conflict in the show.   But even the wildlife, especially the giraffe, warthog, birds, and young lion cubs were easily identified, having been conceived and produced by creative crafts women and maybe some men. But that was unlikely since the show was staged mainly by women (apart from the sound, which could have been better) not boys. As a result, there was a strong androgenous spirt that ran throughout the musical. It was reinforced by the fact that very few young guys chose to be part of the production. As a result, girls took up roles that normally would have been grabbed by guys.   And the music was performed by a single pianist who was backed up by a large chorus of again mainly girls who also danced to both African and contemporary sounds.                          

 

the Lion lion draft

 

Practically everyone knows the story of The Lion King. They have seen it either live on broadway or the west end or on either one or both of Disney’s film version  of this      spectacular production which was rumored to have been inspired by the Kenyan countryside as well our fauna and flora.

They know that it’s a story about                                                                                                                                                          succession, toxic jealous, envy, and treachery leading to the murder of one brother by another. It’s also about the beauty of Africa and the humanizing of its wildlife .

So when the Banda school decided to stage this award-winning musical, adapted and directed by another award-winning actor=singer Emma whithill, (who will be leaving the school for greener pastures soon), many theatre lovers of her work with KADS, (The kenya amateur dramatic society) came to see her last musical before she left the country. They gave her and her cast and crew multiple standing ovations for their marvelous performance. 

Now became the issue of whether all of the elements of the show fit together at every level of its performance. The level of appreciation had to be high even if the cast were just 10 to 12 years old. There were numerous professions working behind the scenes to ensure all of those puzzle parts came together perfectly. Those elements include everything from the adapted and edited                                                             script, sound, vocalists, music and makeup to the costuming, including the masks and headdresses, set designs, and acting, including the transitions between the young Prince to the older King who came back home (like a prodigal son) to claim his entitlement as the Lion King Simba would eventually have to battle with his greedy uncle shark who’d stolen simba’s crown while looting the wealth, including the food and fortunes from his own people out of greed and selfishness.

We must begin with the costuming, including the headdresses, masks, and makeup. All together one could see they were created by artists. What was most striking when we walked into Banda’s social hall were the dazzling headdresses worn by the king, young prince Simba, and most surprisingly the villain of the show, Shark. But undoubtedly, the one who, for me, had the most glorious gown of all was the proprophess,… . But even the wildlife costuming was easily identified, including the giraffe, birds, warthog, hyenas and lion cubs                                         especially. The make-up also mattered since it enhanced the jungle-like feeling and flare of the show. So did the set design whose backdrops were filled with all shades of green and mobile, thus making scene switches easy and quick. It also meant that the mural-like moveable backdrops were layered, adding the feeling of being deeper inside the jungle and the vast landscape and kingdom that the Lion King controls.   

Then there’s the script which was edited and adapted and easily contested especially by those who had seen the original full-scale production and felt the Banda’s version had edited out too much of the original. Yet others were delighted with Banda’s production and felt it deserved our praise not negative criticism. The critics forget that the cast included children, aged from 10 to twelves olds, many of whom are having the rare opportunity in kenya to study and participate in beautiful productions like Lion King for credit.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

BB LITFEST

 

The Third Edition of the NBO LitFest just opened last Thursday night initially at Nairobi’s main public library, the McMillan Memorial Library where many of Africa’s leading writers were meant to meet for the first-time last week. They had all been invited to Kenya by the co-founders of the NBO Litfest, Angela Wachuka and Wanjiru Koinange. The two are also co-founders of the Book Bunk Trust which spawned Kenya’s first NBO LitFest in 2017.

But all that had to change for security’s sake once people hit the streets in CBD protesting government’s taxation policy.

So the first event of the four-day Festival quickly shifted to British Council where a shortened showcase of all that lay ahead. That included changing the program schedule completely. Now most                                                                  of the workshops, panels, films, book readings, timely talks on issues like African feminism, racism, and mental health would be shifted to Kalolani Library. So too would the master classes offering practical tips on writing both fiction and non-fiction, poetry, features, literary criticism, and stories for children and teens.                                                                 

The only problem with this kind of cornucopia of cultural activity left festival curators with no other choice than to double-book times and events to endure invited artists got to share their expertise during the festival.

So, while some may have felt the frustration of not being able to be in two places at the same time, it was still well worth the effort just to meet some of the leading luminaries of African writing, especially now as the global literary world, is finally waking up to the quality and quantity of African writing emerging from all over the region.

Among those award-winning writers and other artists who participated in NBO LitFest, they came in representing either Ethiopia, Cameroon, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and South Africa or those who jetted in from Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Lebanon, and hopefully even Palestine. Most have come thanks to the generous support from the Open Society, being represented by Ayisha Oson and Sandra Chege for the British Council. Goethe Institute also contributed as did several others.

 The inaugural event last week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    also signaled the newly-forged partnership between the Book Bunk Trust and Hay Festival Global. 

“It was actually the Hay Festival that reached out to us,” Wanjiru told BD LIfe shortly before the Litfest officially opened. The partnership seemed like a natural fit since both bodies share similar goals. They both aim to share their knowledge, experience, expertise and connections with one another. In Hay Festival’s case, they also hope to expand their network of thespians around the region in cooperation with Book Bunk which is currently working to upgrade Nairobi’s three-part public library system which includes the ninety-year-old MacMillan Memorial library together with the Kaloleni and Eastlands Public Libraries. They also hope collaboration with the Hay Fest will help them to modernize and fundraise for bb’s efforts to upgrade both outside and inside     of Nairobi’s public library system.

 

 

 

Wanjiru and Wachula also see their new partnership with the Ha prospective donors who might appreciate Book Bunk’s effosssrts to open up public spaces like libraries, which have been neglected for many years and fulfill their vision of restoring nairobi’s status as greenest, cleanest   city in the sun. The two woman have high hopes theirnew public libraries both inside and out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

 

One of the reasons the two women joined hands initially was to set up the Book Bunk in 2017 and then NBO Litfest in 2021 was their mutual love of books. They were also committed to opening up public spaces where local communities, particularly children, could have more access to books and other social activities. And both wachuka and Wanjiru had worked at Kwani? Kenya’s first serious literary journal  

founded by the late, great writer Binyavanga Wainaina who spearheaded a revolutionary movement among                                young Kenyan writers, including both   women.

Other than Ngugi wa Thiong’o, one can’t think of a more compelling and influential Kenyan writer than Binyavanga. In 2014, Time magazine named him in its annual Time 100 report as one of the most “Most Influential People in the World”. He inspired the literary careers of countless young authors. That includes Wanjiru Koinange whose insightful novel, The Havoc of Choice examines the impact of colonization on post-colonial Kenya, including the stark and painful period of post-election violence in 2007 – 2008.

Meanwhile, Binyavanga had made Wachuka executive director in charge of both Kwani? the journal and Kwani?’s own NBO Bookfest, thus making her most qualified to work well with such a thoughtful writer as Wanjiru.

Last night at the launch of the NBO LitFest, the new collaboration between the Book Bunk Trust and the Hay Festival Global was applauded by both parties.

 

The Hay folks, having a rich history of running cultural festivals, hope to share it with fledgling festivals like NBO lITFEST. And the Book Bunk Trust was also happy to share contacts and receive some that could help with their fundraising efforts. “Revitalizing the three libraries is quite a costly affair since we’ve been working to clean and refurbish Abut we’ve been doing inventories, documenting, and even digitalizing what we’ve found. All of this requires more fund-raising efforts on our part,” Wanjiru added.

 

 

 

LIT FEST DRAFT

 

The Third Edition of the NBO LitFest just opened last Thursday night initially at Nairobi’s main public library, the McMillan Memorial Library where many of Africa’s leading writers were meant to meet for the first-time last week. They had all been invited to Kenya by the co-founders of the NBO Litfest, Angela Wachuka and Wanjiru Koinange. The two are also co-founders of the Book Bunk Trust which spawned Kenya’s first NBO LitFest in 2017.

But all that had to change for security’s sake once people hit the streets in CBD protesting government’s taxation policy.

So the first event of the four-day Festival quickly shifted to British Council where a shortened showcase of all that lay ahead. That included changing the program schedule completely. Now most                                                                  of the workshops, panels, films, book readings, timely talks on issues like African feminism, racism, and mental health would be shifted to Kalolani Library. So too would the master classes offering practical tips on writing both fiction and non-fiction, poetry, features, literary criticism, and stories for children and teens.                                                                 

The only problem with this kind of cornucopia of cultural activity left festival curators with no other choice than to double-book times and events to endure invited artists got to share their expertise during the festival.

So, while some may have felt the frustration of not being able to be in two places at the same time, it was still well worth the effort just to meet some of the leading luminaries of African writing, especially now as the global literary world, is finally waking up to the quality and quantity of African writing emerging from all over the region.

Among those award-winning writers and other artists who participated in NBO LitFest, they came in representing either Ethiopia, Cameroon, Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and South Africa or those who jetted in from Brazil, Columbia, Cuba, Mexico, Lebanon, and hopefully even Palestine. Most have come thanks to the generous support from the Open Society, being represented by Ayisha Oson and Sandra Chege for the British Council. Goethe Institute also contributed as did several others.

 The inaugural event last week                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    also signaled the newly-forged partnership between the Book Bunk Trust and Hay Festival Global. 

“It was actually the Hay Festival that reached out to us,” Wanjiru told BD LIfe shortly before the Litfest officially opened. The partnership seemed like a natural fit since both bodies share similar goals. They both aim to share their knowledge, experience, expertise and connections with one another. In Hay Festival’s case, they also hope to expand their network of thespians around the region in cooperation with Book Bunk which is currently working to upgrade Nairobi’s three-part public library system which includes the ninety-year-old MacMillan Memorial library together with the Kaloleni and Eastlands Public Libraries. They also hope collaboration with the Hay Fest will help them to modernize and fundraise for bb’s efforts to upgrade both outside and inside     of Nairobi’s public library system.

 

 

 

Wanjiru and Wachula also see their new partnership with the Ha prospective donors who might appreciate Book Bunk’s effosssrts to open up public spaces like libraries, which have been neglected for many years and fulfill their vision of restoring nairobi’s status as greenest, cleanest   city in the sun. The two woman have high hopes theirnew public libraries both inside and out.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

 

 

 

One of the reasons the two women joined hands initially was to set up the Book Bunk in 2017 and then NBO Litfest in 2021 was their mutual love of books. They were also committed to opening up public spaces where local communities, particularly children, could have more access to books and other social activities. And both wachuka and Wanjiru had worked at Kwani? Kenya’s first serious literary journal  

founded by the late, great writer Binyavanga Wainaina who spearheaded a revolutionary movement among                                young Kenyan writers, including both   women.

Other than Ngugi wa Thiong’o, one can’t think of a more compelling and influential Kenyan writer than Binyavanga. In 2014, Time magazine named him in its annual Time 100 report as one of the most “Most Influential People in the World”. He inspired the literary careers of countless young authors. That includes Wanjiru Koinange whose insightful novel, The Havoc of Choice examines the impact of colonization on post-colonial Kenya, including the stark and painful period of post-election violence in 2007 – 2008.

Meanwhile, Binyavanga had made Wachuka executive director in charge of both Kwani? the journal and Kwani?’s own NBO Bookfest, thus making her most qualified to work well with such a thoughtful writer as Wanjiru.

Last night at the launch of the NBO LitFest, the new collaboration between the Book Bunk Trust and the Hay Festival Global was applauded by both parties.

 

The Hay folks, having a rich history of running cultural festivals, hope to share it with fledgling festivals like NBO lITFEST. And the Book Bunk Trust was also happy to share contacts and receive some that could help with their fundraising efforts. “Revitalizing the three libraries is quite a costly affair since we’ve been working to clean and refurbish Abut we’ve been doing inventories, documenting, and even digitalizing what we’ve found. All of this requires more fund-raising efforts on our part,” Wanjiru added.