By Kulture Queen
Published September 7, 2023
In a world overflowing with screen time and virtual hugs, I’ve become a bonafide aficionado of good ol’ face-to-face interactions, you know, the ones where you can actually see if someone’s wearing pants. It’s precisely why I adore my storytelling gigs—nothing like a live audience to remind you of the warmth of a physical community. But before I embarked on this storytelling adventure, I had already fallen head over heels for the magical world of theatre thanks to one Claire Wahome and the fabulous Igiza Arts Production.
So, there I was, on the fateful Sunday of September 3, seated expectantly in the audience, ready to be dazzled by Igiza Arts’ latest masterpiece, a play whimsically titled ‘Till Something Do Us Part’. And let me assure you, this was not your usual romantic comedy with the normal adultery and jealousy issues.
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The plot? We’re talking about an 8-day-old couple. I mean, after 8 days, many couples are still in their honeymoon, but not the Talas who had been to hell and back already. The reason for their matrimonial meltdown? Well, many things, you see, the husband, Jackson Tala, portrayed by the talented Jeff Obonyo, had a teensy-weensy drinking problem. His dear wife, Diana Tala, a recovering alcoholic, took to drinking because she felt she had no option. Her marriage felt like hell and so the chaos ensued. Jackson had a problem with Diana drinking, hence, Jackson’s drinking problem.
But wait, there’s more! The husband had another quirky demand: he wanted his wife to be a stay-at-home spouse, all to prevent her boss from trying to entice her into an affair. He said he would not be known for failing at his marriage which was an interesting paradox, as they were in a marriage counsellor’s office for failing at 8 days into the marriage partly because Diana, an advocate of the High Court of Kenya, is a stay-at-home wife. This brought to light the age-old predicament of many women, trapped in their domestic cages while their dreams of conquering the corporate world are squashed. Oh, and let’s not even get started on the assumption that bosses and CEOs are always men. That’s a can of worms we’ll save for another day.
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But it doesn’t end there. The play unfolded in a single scene, the counsellor’s office, but it was executed with the precision of a gourmet chef. The minimalist set design brought every prop to life and gave them a voice. Even the seemingly insignificant flower vase that took centre stage at the beginning of the play was a diva in its own right. Jackson, our troubled hubby, used his coat to tickle our funny bones. Whenever he threatened to storm out of the counsellor’s office, he’d don his coat dramatically. But, of course, Diana, his persistent wife, wouldn’t hear of it. She’d insist he sit down, and he’d reluctantly remove his coat, placing it on the backrest of the sofa, creating a hilarious seesaw of emotions.
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Now, let’s talk about what Diana was holding in her hand the entire time she sat in the counsellor’s office. Diana wielded a colossal lollipop fan that added a playful and intriguing dimension to her character. It was as if she were saying, “Yes, I have issues, but I also have a gigantic lollipop fan, so take that! I loved it. She would fan herself as she thought out responses or when Jackson said something like she has OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder).
This play was a revelation, my friends. It showed us that adultery isn’t always the culprit in a marriage gone sour. Nope, there are far more peculiar culprits lurking in the shadows, including psychological issues, absentee fathers, ‘daddy-issuism’ and ‘mama’s boyism’. Real men don’t cry? Well, apparently; they don’t always make the best life partners either!
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But let’s not forget to tip our hats to the sound design maestros behind the scenes. The music and quirky sounds that accompanied Jackson’s attempts to demonstrate Diana’s OCD) added an extra layer of hilarity to the mix. And when those melancholic notes played at just the right moments, they roped us into the drama in the most enchanting way possible.
After an exhausting rollercoaster of emotions, the couple eventually found a smidgen of room for each other in their hearts. They were willing to give their marriage a fighting chance. But wait; there was a delightful twist in the tale! Brace yourselves: The marriage counsellor, Dr Lena, played by the talented Edna Kariuki, was actually the daughter of the real counsellor, Dr Ambrose, portrayed by none other than Ambrose Kimani. You can imagine the couple’s disbelief when they realised that their saviour in matters of the heart was a student of animal science. Love, folks, it’s not rocket science, or is it?
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What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon before diving back into the corporate world’s sea of calendars, Excel sheets, and Zoom meetings? I, for one, eagerly await Igiza’s next theatrical masterpiece, scheduled for November 4 and 5 at Kenya National Theatre.
Big up to Charles Riomba the stage lights manager, Harold Keri the sound and stage manager, Lisa Julia Akoth the Makeup artist, and AAR insurance for sponsoring the play.
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