Sunday In Theatre Thrills Audience With Wives Revolt

This year’s   Day  cel
ebration was marked with a hilarious domestic comedy J.P. Clark’s drama titled: ‘Wives’ Revolt’ directed by Ovunda Ihunwo. The event was held at the Hotel Presidential, Port Harcourt on Wednesday October 1, 2014. It was the 6th edition of the drama series organised by Sunday in Theatre, a concept of spur on stage.
Synopsis: Set in Irhuwaren community where an oil company pays compensation to locals and the money is shared into the three (3) parts by the council of elders accordingly. Men in their age group women in their age group, and elders of the land (made up of men only).
This appropriation which favours men is considered as unfair and discriminatory by the women. The heated situation gets compounded when the council of elders establishes a law that banished goats. ‘The women’s main source of income’ from the community. The decision comes from their suspicion that goats provided refuge for forces of evil such as witches.
Thus the women stage a walk out and settle temporarily at Iyara considered as enemy territory leaving the men to fend for themselves and their children. Dramatic actions hit a climax when the men challenged to a breaking point by domestic duties throw in the towel and call for a reconciliation with the firm promise to pay the compensation for the losses suffered by their wives  and immediate repudiation of the law banning goats from Irhuwaren When the women returned, they were mostly soiled a contaminated by veneral diseases caused by poor sanitary conditions in Iyara.
Howeevr, they are to embrace the provision made by the community for Doctors and team of nurses from Warri to come and treat them.
The oil compensation money which set off the initial problem is to be conserved as school building funds.
Speaking with The Tide Entertainment after the event, the producer of Sunday in Theatre (SIT), Mr Tayo Isijola noted that J.P. Clark’s Wives Revolt was topical and relevant in Nigeria especailly in the Niger Delta Region.
According to him the drama focused on the issue of compensation which is a recurring declined so to say and the problems inherent. He hoped that the society would learn from the drama which portrays equity and fairness in society.
He expressed gratitude to the audience for turning up to watch the drama.
He stressed that so far Sunday in theatre is making tremendous progress and people appreciate them. He urged them to expect another classic drama titled ‘Isiburic’ by Elechi Amadi which comes up  in December.

Soul’s Generators Outreach members celebrate Nigeria’s 54th Independence Day in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Egberi A. Sampson