How different is the old from the new? Just as the earth revolves on its axis, never drifting out of orbit so trends and cultures never change. They simply become modified.

We smoke cigarettes                                   They sniffed powdered tobaccoWe drink fine liquor                                    They enjoyed fermented Palmwine

We use internet Search Engines           They consulted the Oracle

We use Vacuum Cleaners                       They swept with dried palm fronds

We use mobile phones                             They heralded through town criers

Crown Troupe of Africa, under the directorial leadership of Segun Adefila gave a rousing stage performance of ‘The Divorce of Lawino & Ochol’ a dance-drama adaptation of Obot p’Bitek’s poems. Written into play form by Chinweizu, Adefila’s troupe had a two-day showing, 23rd and 24th August 2008 at Studio 868, Victoria Island, Lagos. Reminiscent of Lakunle and Sidi’s Shenanigans in Wole Soyinka’s masterpiece ‘The Lion and the Jewel’, theatre audience were captivated and amused by the intertwining dramatisations in ‘the Divorce of Lawino & Ochol’ till the curtains dropped.

Crown Troupe employed expansive theatrical elements to bring this play alive. Most significant of which is expressive dance routines that combine symbolism and spoken words to convey the intrinsic essence of the drama. Adefila also explored the use of soliloquy, stage props and role switch to compliment the beauty of a well-written poem.

The Divorce follows the path of ‘modern madness’ which seizes Ochol, a village dweller who after exposure to the attractions of city life, decides to divorce his rural wife, Lawino. Besides contending with modern trappings for Ochol’s attention, Lawino additionally has to deal with a 21st century femme fatale armed to the teeth with sophisticated ‘weapons’ to snare any man she desires. Apparently, this –modern woman- is the deadliest foe Lawino has to overcome to get her sweetheart to abandon his hare-brained divorce idea.

According to the play, Lawino symbolises everything old and traditional; culture long despised, discarded and buried. She wears her hair natural; face devoid of make-up; clothing of richly woven Aso-oke; skin glistening with cam wood oil and traditional tattooing; breasts unsheathed; and plump buttocks jingling with strings of glass beads. The intelligence is native but the speech is cajoling, respective and seductive.

These attributes separate Lawino from super-sleek and fashionably slim Tina, who wears her European hair well-coiffured; lips crimson and pouting; skin over processed with enhancers and breasts well-padded. Tina prides herself on her communication skills and is sometimes very outspoken. She is adept at using all modern appliances/technology and skilled at satisfying the appetite of a new age man Ochol pretends to be.

As the dramatisation progresses, Lawino turns out to be more than a handful for Tina. She has a history with Ochol she uses to her advantage and ultimately, it becomes her winning edge. Lawino is a die-hard fighter; in spite of Ochol’s consistent rejection of what she symbolises, our heroine holds on to him tooth and nail. In the face of such resilient opposition, Tina’s whimsical personality is exposed and her love for Ochol flees without remorse.

For a people confronted with myriads of choices every second, such as we are, the toughest challenge lies with making a decision among offers that are differently packaged but which promise equally gratifying experiences. Our culture has held out over years of subtle incursions of modern element and appears to be losing the ‘tug-of-war’. Paradoxically, the supposedly archaic is discarded for what turns out to be a well-packaged upgrade.

The play juxtaposes the ancient beside the modern and queries possibility of a merger between the two not-so-variant eras. Lawino proposes this to Tina when she says ‘I’m willing to make room for you to come and share Ochol’s affection with me’. At the end of the play, Crown Troupe reminds us that death, which is the terminal point of a life journey, is one choice that is non-negotiable… man’s unifying barrier breaker.

Characteristic of the Troupe’s stage presentations, they turned out in appropriate costuming sometimes for exaggerated effect. Backed up by a live drumming ensemble, the actors also made good use of the Studio 868 stage; spectators seated on the gallery did not have to crane their necks to see.

Traditional folklore female singing quartet, Adunni Nerfretiti, beautiful in their rich African gears performed a soulful medley of songs that rounded-up what could best be described as a superb night of drama.