Abbey Mukiibi
Ugandan award-winning actor and media personality, Mr. Abbey Mukiibi Nkaaga does not side with creatives who believe that Ugandan theatre is on its deathbed.
“No! Theatre is not dead, it’s the artists’ mind that is dead. It’s the artist who is failing to adjust to the times of the day, to the demands of the day. We need to change and look at today. So much is going around and we still expect theatre to gain audiences like they were. We need to change. We need to start changing the way we think today,” he said while Addressing the audience, during the launch of the fourth Heritage Initiative at the Uganda National Cultural Center (UNCC) on Monday.
According to him, thespians are stuck in ancient times yet opt for better results.
“With demography suggesting that we have 70-75% of people who are 30 years below and you expect us to do theatre the way we did it in our times. No, we need to change. We need to device something for us to change,” he added.
The ‘Ensitaano‘ stage play actor emphasized the need to teach theatre plays in schools citing, that it helps in nurturing future actors and also prepares the future audience.
“People who watch theatre in schools are running out and not teaching theatre anymore. How do you expect to get an audience? URA is going to schools to teach the next taxpayer how to do it. What is theatre doing about bringing the next actor when the theatre is no-longer being taught in schools,” Abbey asked.
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