ACCRA THEATRE WORKSHOP TO STAGE A HIGHLIFE MUSICAL
I usually receive e-mail notification on up-coming events from Alliance Francaise. The latest I received was about a highlife musical to be staged by Accra Theatre Workshop (ATW), an art consultancy house that serves as a bridge between amateur and professional theatre workers.
Led by Elizabeth Efua Sutherland (yeah she is the granddaughter of the literary legend), ATW has staged a couple of well received plays since bursting on the theatre scene few years ago.
Come the 28th of April, ATW will stage their latest play-a HIGHLIFE musical. I must confess I have never watched a live musical and to have one where all or most of the music is highlife is thrilling and I am all hyped to see.
Here are five (5) reasons why you should be there to watch this musical. Let’s go:
It’s a HIGH LIFE Musical: I don’t think anybody has staged a high life musical in the country so this is a novelty. Highlife music was the third biggest Ghanaian export-after cocoa and gold-in the early 50s till the early 90s. The highlife grooves still get the youthful generation kicking whenever it is heard.
This musical could be described as an ode to highlife music especially to those 60s sound-the play is set in 1960 Ghana. Imagine the captivating songs that will be dished on the night.
It is an Accra Theatre Workshop Play: Those who have patronized any of the plays produced by ATW come back with good testimonies. The acting, set design, ambience has received great plaudits. Their plays are mostly sold out and the audience cut across different ages and social class. ATW always bring their professionalism to bear on their plays.
The Story: And the story is compelling. Mod Accra Lurve (Re-Education of Elliott Yorke) is about Diva Step Child, a funk duo whose pianist suffers a heart break (his fiancé ditched him) few days to their biggest night. Whether Yorke will sink into despair or rise and pitch in his best is where the cheese lies.
Kobby Graham is the Music Director: Kobby Graham is one the few djs whose music sense is older and richer than himself. Kobby Graham’s playlist is something I have been wishing to have a fraction of since I first heard him on Joy FM years ago. KG is a master selector, a music impresario. And with him playing the role of a musical director one should brace up for some scintillating classics form 60s.
Rate: Ridiculous was the first word that fell when I saw the rate being charged. It’s ridiculous because they are charging GHc 5 and GHc 3 for adults and students respectively (I bet you’re shaking your head). It’s good to encourage people to attend such shows but again, it is ridiculous to charge such rates.
So, mark the date in your diary or calendar and come over and kick away the mid-week blues on April 28th. It’s going to be fun.
