By Ernest Nutsugah
Accra, May 8, GNA – Mr. Latif Abubakar, renowned playwright and chief executive officer of Globe Productions, says his company would expand cooperation to bring more intriguing international plays to Ghanaian audiences.
He said the move would serve to highlight the Ghanaian theatre industry and showcase its outstanding talents.
Mr Abubakar was speaking after the weekend premiere of his new stage play, “The License,” which drew hundreds of people to the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
The play, produced in collaboration with the Italian Embassy, was based on an original script written by Luigi Pirandello, an Italian novelist and Nobel Prize winner.
“The License” was re-enacted as a mix of drama, music, and comedy to depict how some Ghanaians try to cut corners to obtain legal documents such as a driver’s license.
Audiences laughed in the aisles as the narrative of one ‘Mr Adamu’ unfolded, detailing how he obtained a fake driver’s license and eventually put himself in trouble with the law.
“The License” featured young and vibrant acts like Mark Pratt Dadzie (acting as ‘Mr Adamu’), Bright Keli Jefferson, Omar Sherif Captan, and other cast and crew members who brought the script to life.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Mr Abubakar expressed satisfaction with the turnout for the show, which aired from May 4 to May 6, 2024.
He observed that people’s interest in theatrical performances was rebounding, and he urged them to maintain it.
About the novel’s premise, he advised the public not to “outsmart the system,” even though obtaining a driver’s license, passport, birth certificate, and other legal documents in Ghana could be “frustrating” sometimes.
“The License” is basically mirroring our society and what happens. Sometimes the systems and processes are tedious to the extent that they force people to do what they are not supposed to do…We are telling people that yes, we have challenges, but you do not take the law into your hand…you will be punished for it,” he said.
Beyond music and movies, Mr Abubakar encouraged the public to patronise stage plays to help boost the industry.
He said the theatre industry in Ghana was “very small” and called for more collaboration.
“Adapting international plays or scripts, for us, is a unique way because we want to put the spotlight on the Ghanaian theatre industry. We want people to see the kind of talents we have and appreciate them.
“We have so much talent we can export and compete globally but the only way we can begin to shed light on them is when we begin these international partnerships which help improve cultural exchange and in earning foreign exchange,” he stated.
GNA