On the 5th Anniversary of The Theatre Times

In a world saturated with entertainment products, TheTheatreTimes.com is evidence that live theatre is still a formidable entertainment option and cultural force. Every day, there are fresh articles from different parts of the globe. In just 5 years, TTT has reportedly published over 4,500 articles! I personally joined the family about two years ago. As the Regional Managing Editor for Kenya, I am glad to be a source of information for this worldwide portal. The platform that Magda Romanska and company have created has given me a larger audience for my coverage of theatrical activity in my part of the world. Indeed, I believe my association with TTT is one of the reasons why this year I have been appointed one of the judges of the Sanaa Theatre Awards, Kenya’s premier theatre awards scheme. Interestingly, I sometimes received media releases from the USA and Europe, which are out of my domain. This speaks to the global reach of the platform. Apart from contributing articles, I myself derive a lot of information from TTT.  I like to learn about theatre in the Far East and the Arab world since there’s always a maelstrom of news coming from the West. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on global theatre is one area I studied by going through articles on the site. The presentation of articles and the professionalism of the editors have made me ‘up my game’ not just in my theatre reports but in my personal blogging as well.

As one who is interested in cutting-edge digital technology, I think Performap.com, a digital map of theatre festivals, is an idea whose time has come. I think the International Online Theatre Festival is another good idea but I feel that African theatre groups are yet to embrace – or indeed, understand – it. I hope that as we move into the future, more African nations will participate in the IOTF. I will certainly to what I can to promote the International Online Theatre Festival in my sphere of influence. The coronavirus pandemic showed us how important the online space is, both for communication and business. I have also noted with some concern that there are fewer contributions to TTT from the African continent than from some developed nations such as the U.K. Theatre in Africa is alive and well. TTT provides a platform for documenting and promoting theatrical activity across the globe. The onus is on African (and other developing regions’) theatre practitioners to reach out to their local Regional Managing Editors for coverage and critiques.  Speaking of critiques, I recently came across a quote by the U.S. playwright Wilson Mizner which was: ‘A drama critic is a person who surprises the playwright by informing him what he meant.’ I intend to continue contributing and editing articles for TTT well into the future. As a critic, it is my pleasure to continue informing theatre lovers while at the same time surprising the thespians by bringing out aspects of their works that they themselves might not have realized.

I look forward to the next five years of TTT. Cheers to my co-contributors and the administrative team. Namaste.