History and symbols in Juliana Okoh’s Throes of Leadership

Abstract

Semiotics is a topic on which much has been theorised, but the practical applications of semiotics to appreciation of drama appear to be very difficult for students of the humanities to comprehend. By using the opportunity of doing a review on a recent play premier at the University of Port Harcourt in March, 2017; as directed by Sunday Edum, effort has been made in this study to demonstrate the place of semiotics in drama appreciation. The play titled, Throes of Leadership is written by Juliana O. Okoh; a prominent female playwright, feminist and a professor at the University of Port Harcourt. The work exposes the inner meanings of the signs and symbols embodied in the play from a participant account of the historical events captured in the play, while appraising the playwright and director in the delivery of the dramatic peace.

Keywords: Performance, Semiotics, Meaning, Interpretation, Appreciation