A viewer who couldn't keep her mouth shut - by Araceli Aipoh

(The following was taken off Araceli's blog)


Was at the Muson Centre last night to watch "The Gods are Not to Blame," Ola Rotimi's adaptation of "Oedipus Rex" and directed by Wole Oguntokun. Once again some of Nigeria's most talented actors were showcased and it's really amazing how great they all are.


But what impressed me most is the way Ola Rotimi used local adages or proverbs to buttress some of the points he wanted to portray. Since we already knew what the story was all about (the proud king who killed his father and married his mother), there wasn't much of that "What's going to happen next?" question. Yet, there was an air of suspense. My eyes were glued to the stage. I listened with full attention, fearing I would miss some of the dialogues. I wish I could get a copy of the script so that I could quote some of the rich language here.


THERE IS ONLY ONE THING I don't like about last night, and it has nothing to do with the play itself. It has something to do with one woman behind me who couldn't keep her mouth shut. She kept on making loud comments, as if she was watching a home video in her sitting room, as if she was the only one who knew the story, and as if we wanted to listen to her comments. God, it took me a lot of willpower not to do somthing drastic, like telling her to shut up. She is a perfect example of an OVERSABI person if I ever saw one.



It happened also when I went to watch "The Inheritors." There was a couple who had come with their toddler and he kept on making noise all throught the play. I understand that Nigerians love children, but this has nothing to do with love. It has something to do with your sense of decorum, and also, something to do with considering others, since you are not the only one who wants to watch a stage play, neither are you the only one who has a child. Making noise happens a lot in the movie houses too. Many Lagos movie watchers can't keep their mouth shut, you know, fighting with characters or giving their loud approval at the way the story is taking shape. It's highly annoying, if you ask me.