Theatre is gradually gaining grounds in Ghana but it still has a long way to go.
Actress and television host, Shirley Tiibilla, shares her views on theatre in Ghana on e.TV Ghana’s ‘The Late Nite Celebrity Show’ with Foster Romanus.
“I’m actually very excited that it is picking up. It is actually way better than before. Initially, it was just Uncle Ebo’s Roverman Production which was up to it but now we have other productions so it’s not as bad as it used to be but the issue here is logistics, still money and a proper structure.”
“Unfortunately I don’t know the new people in government that we have right now. You see, you have to be artistic to appreciate the arts. If you just studied Political Science or English or Maths and stuff like that in school, it will be very hard for you to appreciate arts,” she said.
“You see, the amount of revenue that arts can fetch a country, please do not play with it because when people are stressed from work what do they want to do? Listen to music, watch movies or plays and in Ghana, unfortunately, there isn’t anything recreational that we do. All we do best is to go partying, drink and dance, that’s all that happens here in this country.”
“If you are blessed enough to travel outside, then you can go see broadways. You can go to the theatre to watch the ‘Lion King’ and stuff like that. Even here at the Efua Sutherland’s Studios in the University of Ghana, when there are plays over there people don’t go to watch because there isn’t enough publicity and this is because there is no money to come on radio and TV to talk about it,” she added.
Shirley then gave a little advice to help take theatre to the desired heights by getting the needed support from the government.
“Money would have to come from the top but right now that it isn’t coming from the top we must be supportive of each other, if you come out with a play, I should be able to promote it for you on my social media page or on TV.
“If we don’t promote each other who would? Until we make so much noise for the people at the top to hear us, nothing will be done so let’s just keep supporting each other, let’s just keep making noise and it will draw the attention of the people at the top,” she advised.
By: Susan Amoako Agyemang
