Nothing beats a good classic play, says returning Mukulu

By Catherine Ajuna Ayebare

THEATRE | Either Alex Mukulu returns to the National Theatre this weekend or the National Theatre returns to Alex Mukulu; whichever way you think of it, it is going back to the same thing.

A foremost thespian isn't just going to be joining the world in the International Theatre Day on Wednesday, March 27, but also serving the only dish he has perfected all his life - play.

This time it is an adaptation of a Shakespearean classic that puts a finger on Uganda’s political pulse - Kulunkalu Ne Kulumbisi, with which Mukulu will show that being 17 years out has not dulled his creative juices

"Nothing beats a good classic play," Mukulu told Nile Post.

"Kulunkalu Ne Kulumbisi will bring the desired impact in society with its educative yet entertaining plot and also act as an informative medium between the different generations."

Raising the curtains on the Easter Weekend, Kulunkalu Ne Kulumbisi is a gift from the thespian to the nation, because all a theatregoer has to do is be there from March 29 to April 21.

Of course, the Easter Weekend is unbeatable for a gift that keeps giving like Mukulu.

Mukulu says the free entry show will accommodate every citizen interested in theatre.

Theatre Day

The Uganda National Cultural Centre (UNCC) joins the rest of the world to celebrate the Theatre Day tomorrow.

The day will be celebrated under the theme, "The crucial role of professional discipline in theatre arts for advancing Uganda's theatre industry."

Robert Musiitwa, the Public Relations Officer at UNCC, said this year's celebrations will recognise some of the theatre legends in the country and the role of theatre in national development.

"Mukulu has been in theatre for over 40 years," Musiitwa said.

"It will be a pleasure having him imparting knowledge to the younger generation with all this experience."

Whereas the main objective of celebrating this day is to bring together theatre lovers and popularise theatre and theatrical activities, this year has specific targets like creating awareness about theatre activities and their role in society; promoting interactions and cooperation among theatres, and providing opportunities for skill development in theatre.

Uganda started celebrating the World Theatre Day in 2013 and it has undergone an evolution since then.

One of Uganda's celebrated actresses, Mariam Ndagire, says some of the reasons theatre is still unpopular is because of the old template that it follows. It takes a long time to show one production which tends to bore people.

"In the early days, music used to take six minutes or more. With evolution, a song goes for 3 minutes or less which has in turn catalysed music popularity," Ndagire says.

She believes if the templates are made shorter and dance introduced in between the plays and other productions, theatre will thrive.

The World Theatre Day celebrations opened on Monday 26th March at the National Theatre with activities like play previews and ends on Wednesday with a symposium involving students from many learning institutions including Makerere and Kyambogo Universities, as well as lower learning institutions in the National Theatre auditorium.