The aspect of trance in Aquatic Theatre

Abstract

Most post-colonial Africans see indigenous cultural activities as barbaric. The sentiment is derived from their exposure to foreign forms of similar activities. Consequently, they forbid the growth of any theatrical activity in Africa that cannot be measured with the alien foreign standards. A good example is the aquatic theatre performance of the Ijaws. Aquatic theatre is a generic term that classifies forms of entertainment that are distinct and found mostly in the Ijaw speaking parts of the Niger Delta. One element that is germane to aquatic theatre is trance.The main thrust of this paper ―the aspect of trance in aquatic theatre‖ therefore is to discuss trance by presenting it as a special effect in aquatic theatre which has the qualities to entertain as well as serve religious purposes. Trance is also seen as a means of communication as it is found to build bridges between the supernatural and the mortal worlds. This paper relies primarily on the participant observation method of research for its materials. It relies on experiences based on performances the authors witnessed in the past. It concludes that trance has great potentials and can be harnessed to enhance the sustainability of aquatic theatre.This paper recommends that Africans should see aquatic theatre as a new ground that can be explored to expand the content of literary drama in Africa.