AN APPRAISAL OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRODUCTION STYLE IN THE STAGE

PERFORMANCE OF “JAKADIYA”

BY

ASHWE TIMOTHY TYOAPINE

SUBMITTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS,

JULY, 2021

i
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this research work "an appraisal of the significance of production style in

the stage performance of " Jakadiya "" was conducted by me under the supervision of Mr.

Joseph Ali Dameh of the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Bayero University, Kano.

It has not in any way been presented in this form for the award of a Bachelor of Arts Degree in

Theatre and Performing Arts. All sources have been duly acknowledged.

___________________________ __________________
ASHWE TIMOTHY TYOAPINE Date
CMM/16/TFS/00012

ii
 APPROVAL PAGE

The research work has been thoroughly read and approved as having met part of the

requirements for the award of Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Degree in Theatre and Performing Arts, in

the Faculty of Communication, Bayero University Kano.

_______________________ _________________
Mr. Joseph Ali Dameh Date
Supervisor

______________________ __________________
Dr. Olagoke O. Ifatimehin Date
Head of Department

______________________ __________________
Prof. Marbel Evwierhoma Date
External Examiner

iii
 DEDICATION

This project is dedicated to my parents Mr. Benedict Igbum Ashwe(late) and Mrs. Linda

Mwuese Ashwe who set me on this path of formal education and ensured my primary and

secondary education was possible. Their encouragement, prayers and financial supports are what

ensured the realization of this dream.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My first and foremost gratitude to God Almighty for his grace, guidance, courage and endurance
given to me while during the course of writing this research work.

I wish to also appreciate my wonderful supervisor Mr. Joseph Ali Dameh, for never getting tired
of correcting my work and for being patient with me, despite my sluggishness. You are
appreciated Sir.

I am equally thankful to all my lecturers in the departments of Bayero University, Kano such as
my level coordinator, Mr. Adenekan Lanre Qasim, my Head Of Department, Dr. Olagoke O.
Ifatimehin and my lecturers, Prof. M. O. Bhadmus, Dr. Rukkayya Banjo, Miss. Hairrat Bukola
Yusuf, Mr. Rasheed O. Oshoke, Mrs. Bako M. Christiana, Mrs. Ihuoma Okorie Joy and also
Salisu Aminu Shaka (departmental secretary) and Ya’azza Nasir Kabara (administrator
assistant).

My sincere appreciation goes to my family. I can only imagine life without family. I sincerely
appreciate my late father Mr. Benedict I. Ashwe for making sure I had my primary and
secondary education. May your soul continue to rest in the bosom of Almighty God. I wish to
sincerely appreciate my mother, Mrs. Linda M. Ashwe and my siblings; Alfred Ashwe, Danie
Ashwe, Raphael Ashwe, Rachael Ashwe, Beatrice Ashwe, Doris Ashwe and Angela Ashwe for
their love, fervent prayers, sacrifices, efforts, financial supports to ensure this dream come true.
I say thank you and may God bless, reward and replenish you all in abundance and keep you to
enjoy the fruit of your labour.

It will not skip my mind to thank my modest interviewee, Jemila Janet John, the director of
"Jakadiya" stage production ( my case-study), for giving me an appointment to meet with her
and also given me all the necessary information I would need during my interview with her.
Thank you very much Ma and God bless you.

My sincere and endless appreciation goes to Fellowship of Christian Students (FCS) BUK
chapter and Covenant Actors Drama Unit for their impact on my life, spiritually, mentally and
physically. I love you all and may God bless you abundantly.

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I will not fail to express my appreciation to my amazing friends Deborah Adedayo, Alhassan
Bernita, Peter Alidu, Gift Umoh Bassey, Joshua Anietie Inwang, Monday Daniel Sunday,
Suleiman Muhammad Dalhat, Ayuba Barnabas Danjuma, Benjamin Terungwa Detsav, Deborah
Akintunde, Favour Fachano, and my wonderful classmates who have positively impacted life
and equally made my stay in the school wonderful. May you all remain blessed.

Lastly, to my mentors; Mohammed Jamiu, Isaac Msuugh Iorhom and Lateef Suleiman and
well- wishers; Mr. Benedict Azuka Otutu (Uncle Ben), Bro. Bright Sesugh, Bro. Stephen Ujior,
Bro. Gabriel Orbuter, Esther Onuh, Suzan Njoku, Esther Fatade, Blessing Austin, Desmond Ava,
Iorbuu Timothy, Nelson Iorkumbur and the rest I cannot mention. Thank you and God bless you
all.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Content Page

Title page - - - - - - - - - - I

Declaration - - - - - - - - - - ii

Approval page - - - - - - - - - iii

Dedication - - - - - - - - - - iv

Acknowledgement - - - - - - - - - v

Table of content - - - - - - - - - vi

Abstract - - - - - - - - - - ix

CHAPTER ONE

GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1. Background of the Study - - - - - - - - 1

1.2. Statement of the problem - - - - - - - - 2

1.3. Aim and Objectives of the Study - - - - - - - - 2

1.4. Research Questions - - - - - - - - - 2

1.5. Significance of the study - - - - - - - - - 3

1.6. Justification of the study - - - - - - - - - 3

1.7. Research Methodology - - - - - - - - - 3

1.8. Scope and Delimitation - - - - - - - - - 4

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1. Introduction - - - - - - - - - - 5

2.2. Theoretical Framework- - - - - - - - - 5

2.3. The Concept Of Production Style - - - - - - 6

2.4. The Concept Of Stage Production - - - - - - - 13

CHAPTER THREE

AN APPRAISAL OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRODUCTION STYLE IN THE STAGE

3.1. Introduction - - - - - - - - - - 16

3.2. Synopsis Of The Production - - - - - - - - 17

3.3. The Style Used In The Production - - - - - - - 19

3.3.1. Bertolt Brecht's Epic Theatre - - - - - - - - 19

3.3.2. Konstantin Stanislavski's Realism - - - - - - - - 19

3.3.3. Abdulrasheed Adeoye's Neo-Alienation - - - - - - - 21

3.4.1. The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Directing - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22

3.4.2. . The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Acting - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 22

3.4.3. . The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Set Design And Props - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 25

viii
3.4.4. . The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Makeup And Costume Design - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 26

3.4.5. . The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Lighting Design - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27

3.4.6. . The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Stage Performance In
The Area Of Songs And Dance - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 27

CHAPTER FOUR

SUMMARY, FINDINDS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

4.1. Introduction- - - - - - - - - - 29

4.2. Summary - - - - - - - - - - 29

5.3. Findings - - - - - - - - - - 30

4.4. Recommendation - - - - - - - - - 31

4.5.. Conclusion - - - - - - - - - 32
References - - - - - - - - - - 36

Appendix - - - - - - - - - - - 39

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 ABSTRACT

This study examined the significance of production in the stage performance of "Jakadiya”. The
aim of the study is to evaluate the significance of production style in determining the outcome of
the production under study. The study is grounded on the Reader Response theory which upholds
that the audience or reader of art work is at liberty to analyze a work of art from any perspective
rather than base his analysis on the content, form and author of the work. The methodology
adopted in this study is qualitative method of research with interview and content analysis as
instrument for data gathering. The study found out that the production style played a significant
role in determining the outcome of the production and it had a positive impacted on the outcome
of the production in areas of costume and make-up, acting and stagecraft, lighting design and
music and dance. The study concluded that, an evaluation of how production styles are
significant in determining the outcome of stage production is most important as it broaden views
about productions, gives more scholarly attention to stage production as well as makes directors
to be more conscious of adopting a suitable production style for specific stage productions.

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xi
 CHAPTER ONE
GENERAL INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

A stage production is the artistic and visual realization of a performance on stage, deploying all

the elements of the theatre. Usually, such productions are backed by a production style otherwise

known as a production concept. This production style helps the director in shaping and reshaping

his or her perception about the performance in relation to the source text. Wallis and Shepherd

(2010, p.55) see production style as “a result from a distinctive mode of expression or method of

presentation”. They conclude that “ultimately, style results from the way in which means are

adapted to ends”. Similarly, Gillette (1997, p.68) succinctly avers that “a production style is the

manner of producing a play in which all production elements (costumes, scenery, lights, acting)

adhere to a common set of artistic/philosophical characteristics (e.g expressionism)”. Thus, a

production style provides the theoretical or conceptual framework about the totality of a

performance. This guides the director in deciding and determining the motif, artistic and

aesthetic outcome of a performance.

Usually, there is hardly any stage production that is bereft of a production style. Whenever a

stage production is conceived, what comes to the mind of the director next is the appropriate

production style that will be most suitable for the production. Therefore, production styles are

often used in stage productions. However, very little or less attention have been given to an

assessment of how suitable or not such production style is in the production. It is against this

background that this study seeks to assess the significance of production style in the stage

production of "Jakadiya" as Directed by Jamila Janet John on 11th of June, 2019.

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1.2 Statement of the Research Problem

Stage productions are often backed by one production style or the other. However, studies on

stage productions such as Adenekan (2017), Iorhom (2019), Suleiman (2019) usually focus on

directing; Kure (2019) on acting and Hassan (2019) on non-verbal communication thereby,

creating a lacuna in the aspect of production style deployed in stage productions. Whereas

production style plays a very significant role in determining the artistic and aesthetic outcome of

a stage production. However, the significance of such style in productions remains an untilled

virgin soil by production analysts, since very little or no attention has been given to it. It is in

view of this problem that this study sets out to explore the significance of production style in

stage Production, "Jakadiya” as directed by Jamila John as a subject of analysis.

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this study is to appraise the significance of production style in determining the

outcome of stage productions. The objectives of the study are to:

(i) Examine the nature of the production style of " Jakadiya" performance.

(ii) Appraise the significance of the style with the view to exploring its contribution to the

general Mis-en-scene of the production.

1.4 Research Questions

This study is based on the following research questions

(i) What is the nature of the production style used in “Jakadiya” performance?

(ii) What is the significance of the production style and its contribution to the outcome of

the production?

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 1.5 Significance of the Study

Drama mirrors the society and styles are usually used in stage production in order to shape

and reshape productions as well as determine the outcome of such productions. This implies

that styles play a significant and inevitable role in stage production. However, since previous

studies give very little or no attention to the Significance of production styles in production,

it therefore, becomes important to examine how production style is significant in stage

production. This study becomes significant as it examines the impact of production style on

the outcome of the entire production process. More so, the study is significant as it examines

the importance or role of production style in stage production. Furthermore, the study is

equally important as it contributes to the catalogue of available literature within the area of

research.

1.6 Methodology

This study employs a qualitative method of research. A qualitative research method is concerned

with the understanding, observations, and perceptions, especially of individuals about the world

or some research phenomenon. Furthermore, it uses interview in the data collection process so

as to achieve the aim and objectives of the study. To administer the method, scheduled or

personal interview is held by the researcher with the director of the production. The researcher

equally uses content analysis to collect primary data. The primary data collected from the

production under study is subjected to a thorough analysis. Other related literature such as

journals, books and seminar presentations will also be cited to support the analysis.

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1.7 Scope and Delimitation of the Study

The scope of this study is on the appraisal of the significance of production style on stage

production. The study limits it analysis on “Jakadiya”, directed by Jemila Janet John. Instances

are cited from the production under study, as well as other related productions (where necessary)

to buttress the analysis as well as broaden views where too narrow. Conclusion is drawn based

on the analyses and findings of the study.

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 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction.

This chapter presents a review of relevant literature in order to examine and cross

check the positions, point of views, opinions and assumptions on the concepts;

Production Style and Stage Production. It contains the following sub-headings which

include;

i. TheoreticalFramework,k

ii. The Concept Of Production Style and

iii. Concept Of Stage Production.

2.2 Theoretical Framework

This study adopts the Reader Response theory as a guide in presenting its analysis and

submissions. The basic assumptions of the theory holds that the audience or reader of a literary

work is at liberty to analyze a work of art from any perspective rather than base his analysis on

the content, form and author of the work. According to Rosenblatt (1982,p.273) “this theory

focuses on the reader or audience reaction to a particular text, perhaps more than the text itself”.

He further maintain that “the main argument of Readers Response theory is that readers, as much

as text, play an active role in reading experience”. Koay (2016,p.1) adds that:

5
 reader response criticism can be connected to post structuralism’s emphasis on the role of

the reader in actively constructing texts rather than passively consuming them. The reader

response critic’s job is to examine the scope and variety of reader’s reactions and analyze

the ways in which different readers make meaning out of both purely personal reactions

and inherited or culturally conditioned ways of reading.

By origin, the theory is said to evolve in United states and Germany with the works of Stanley

fish, David Bleich and Wofgang Iser in late 1960s who argued that “a text has no meaning before

a reader experience it”. They therefore reject the structuralist view that meaning resides solely in

the text. Furthermore, they argue that “Words in a text evoke images in readers’ minds and

readers bring their experiences to this encounter”.

Since the theory gives a researcher the liberty to analyze a literary work from any point of view

of his choice rather than any preconceived meaning by the author or director of a literary work,

this study will therefore use the theory to analyze the production of "Jakadiya" from the

perspective of the significance of production style in the stage production. The theory fits into

the context of this study because, the analysis of the study is not predicated on the content, form

or context of the production, neither is it predicated on the authors or directors of the production.

Rather, it is concerned with the significance of production style in determining the artistic

outcome of the production under study. This theory shall therefore be used as a philosophical

background for this research.

2.3 The Concept Of Style /Production Style

As earlier stated in chapter one, every stage production makes use of a certain production style.

A Production Style is the central stylistic theme on which the world of the production is based. It

6
is a recognized pattern of visual and intellectual elements based on social and political history,

used to create the production environment for a particular play. It usually serve as the backbone

of a performance or stage production and also, play a significant role in determining the artistic

and aesthetic outcome of a stage production. Thus, Production Style helps the director in shaping

and reshaping his/her perception about the performance in relation to the source text. Wallis and

Shepherd (2010, p.55) see production style as “a result from a distinctive mode of expression or

method of presentation”. They conclude that ultimately “style results from the way in which

means are adopted to ends”. This view captures the primary aim of this study as it attempts to

portray production style as a means to an end in the play production process. It is in view of this

definition that my study holds its ground. Therefore, this position is accepted as regard this

study. In the same vein, Robert (1976, p.115) notes that “style is a quality which results from

characteristics mode of expression or method of presentation”.

On this note, style can be seen as a particular way or manner of doing something which defines

its uniqueness in relation to others. It is a quality, result or outcome that is determined by a

means of expression or method of [Link] this position also portray style as a unique

way of doing something that is peculiar and distinguish it from others, it is also accepted by this

study.

In order to confirm their view, AbdulRasheed (2015,p.13) who calls it production philosophy

avers that:

Production philosophy allows a performance to satisfy the feelings of the audience,

conforms to the playwright’s intention/thematic concerns and activates the theatre

director’s vision. A good and well formulated production philosophy will give

theatre performance clear-cut artistic, intellectual, dramaturgical, theatrical and

7
 ideological directions. However, if a production fails, the director has either fails to

formulate a good production philosophy or refuses to carry out his formulated

production philosophy to the letter during the process of production articulation.

"From the ‘general’ to the ‘specifics’, a failure in production often leads to endless

questions from the theatre critics and critical members of the audience; questions

such as: A. What type of production is this? B. Is the performance a tragedy or

comedy? C. Is this performance a revival of the neo-classical theatre or a little to

classicism? D. This production to me has no clear-cut directorial concept or am I

wrong? And many more only help to express the audience and the critics’ dramatic

curiosity and artistic dissatisfaction with play productions."

AbdulRasheed’s explicit discussion notifies that both the playwrights’ vision as an

essential aspect that should be covered by a well thought production style. This therefore

tells that the ability to select a suitable style for any production as a function of the intellect

and craftiness of the director. He further stress that:

"The overall aesthetics of the performance must also be considered while

formulating production philosophy. To arrive at a good production philosophy for a

performance, there must be mutual interchangeability of ideas between the director

and the crew members and between the director and the performers having

considered the financial base of the production through the producer. Director’s

discussions with the performers or his experience while working with them will

also help him to tap abundantly from, and discover his performers’ God given

theatrical potentials. This choice will assist the director during casting. The

formulation of production philosophy though slightly higher on the director’s side,

8
 it is not a time for him to claim stardom. It is a time for the entire theatre workers to

plan ahead for the production at hand."

For him, for any production to emerge artistically and aesthetically good, the director must

sit down with his crew members and think then, come up with the most appropriate style to

be used for that particular production. He therefore concludes that:

"Basically, production philosophy is a creation of the director that radiates or

permeates through a theatre performance. It determines the overall aesthetics of the

final production. It also determines the director and the designers’ choice of

costumes, props, movement, acting style, type of set to use, manner of

delivery/speech, characterisation and the general kinetic aesthetics of the production.

Production philosophy ultimately is giving theoretical base to the performance. The

theoretical base is also a solid foundation with which the performance, ‘the proof of

the production’ will be built. and that which Brockett (1992, p. 311) says must “give

shape to the production”. The history of the theatre is replete with numerous

theatrical performances and styles.

This invariably presupposes that there are numerous production styles."

Furthermore, Cameron and Gillespie (1996, p. 151) concludes that:

"Production philosophy is usually formed during the preparatory stage. This can also

take place after play selection which is another core function of the director for the

director should never “take on a play he or she does not like; the demand are too

great, the depth of involvement too extreme, the dislike would ruin the production."

9
This links his view to that of Robert, Wallis and Shepherd, as it also emphasizes on the

peculiarity of a stage production being a result of the particular style used. Therefore, this

view is also accepted as regard the study since its submissions points towards the aim,

objectives and thrust of this research.

In their opinion, Monta & Stanley (2008,p.34) posit that “…. Style means a way. It’s a way

something is done”. They further explain that, “style comes in four main types which are

personal style, regional style, historical style and philosophical style”. It is in the view of the

fourth type of style that this study stands. Writing about philosophical style, they further

maintain that “philosophical style is the result of all the “isms” you believe in. If you follow

Catholicism, romanticism, socialism, negativism- any belief or combination of belief system you

uphold-your work will reflect these beliefs.” This means that, style is approach from an

ideological perspective. It is perceived as an ideological philosophy to backing up a performance

or stage production. This position also, is equally not too far from reality since almost all

productions are usually backed by one ideology (style) or the other. More so, it also talks on the

specific way which each production is staged, presenting its uniqueness from others as a result of

the style used or deployed in the production. This therefore makes this view acceptable in this

study.

Again, Brockett (1992, p.54) posits that “style is the results from three basic influences, which

are "assumption about what is truthful and valuable, manner in which a playwright manipulates

the means of expression, and manner in which the play is presented in the theatre”. Here style is

perceived or seen as a result of external influences on stage production from the truth and value

of the production, playwright’s manipulation of expression and manner of presentation. It is

obvious here that, this view takes style out of context to focus on external influences on a

10
production rather than the most appropriate and suitable way to present or stage a production.

Even the extent of the impact of those external influences on the production is not clearly stated.

Therefore, this position fails to capture the thrust or main goal of this study and is therefore not

acceptable in the study. More so, Sangwell (2021,p.4) Submits that ” Style' may be interpreted as

how the theatre/drama is done (such as naturalism, realism, expressionism, absurdity,

modernism, classical)”. From the above submission, it is obvious that his view portrays

production style as the theoretical framework of a play. This implies that the theoretical

background of a performance is the style which differentiates one production from another.

However, this contradicts Abdulrasheed’s position which sees style as the directorial concept

that is clarified through the stage. It is in the view of Abduralsheed’s position that this view is

not accepted in this study.

Additionally, Ogunbiyi (2016, p.5) say that

"Style is central to all artistic and theatrical production and experience. Apparently,

aesthetic codes, stylistic traits and stylistic signals are essential attributes of human

behaviour. Invariably, these also differentiate works of directors. Therefore, to

understand the style of Okolo, there is need to understand his psychology, ideology,

motivation and thrust, knowing that all these form a huge base for which his artistic

creations have revolved over time. According to Okolo, his prime motivation for

majoring in theatre directing was his dissatisfaction with the status quo which mainly

attempt to “explain and analyze” works of playwrights by directors. This ‘rebel’ spirit of

Okolo to directing therefore built in him an experimental outlook for which he

approached his works."

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This view focus on the importance of style in every theatrical production. It also equally sees or

identifies style as the main distinguishing factor in the works of two or more directors. However,

it fails to state or explain the significance of style in the whole production process, rather, it has

concentrated on style mainly from the stand point of the director’s approach to actors and

designers instead of focusing on the style adopted by the director in the entire production. Also,

it has merely attempted to talk about the directorial style of a particular director instead of

discussing production style on a general note. For this reason, this position does not properly

capture the hallmark of in this research and is therefore not accepted in this study as well.

While stressing the importance of style in any form of communication, Crook (2018,p.10)

maintains that

"It is important to know the style of communication you use most often, to make sure you

are communicating in the most effective manner. Psychologist Claire Newton says, “Good

communication skills require a high level of self-awareness. Once you understand your

own communication style, it is much easier to identify any shortcomings or areas which

can be improved on so that you can communicate effectively in any situation”. Newton and

other analysts identify five primary communication styles: assertive, aggressive, passive-

aggressive, submissive, and manipulative. While there aren’t many submissive directors

out there (at least, none who consistently get rehired), we have most likely all worked with

directors who fall into the other four categories."

This shows that style is an essential aspect of communication which help us to determine the

actions, behavior and attitude of the receiver. However, Crook’s view also approaches the

concept of style from the directorial stand point rather the perspective of the entire production

process. It is just concerned with the way and manner in which directors talk to actors and

12
designers during the production process and not the appropriate style adopted by directors in

stage productions. Therefore, this view also, is not acceptable in this study.

It is important to note that all scholars cited have affirmed the use of style in stage productions

and have equally stressed the significance of style at different levels. With this, we can say

Production Style is therefore central and very essential in every stage production.

2.4 The Concept of Performance/Stage Production

A Stage production is the artistic and visual realization of a play on stage using both the

technical and performance elements of the theatre. It is the coordination of both human and

material resources in the theatre so as to achieve an artistic and aesthetic performance on stage.

According to Abrams (2012,p.48), “a stage production is the presentation of a director’s

interpretation and concept of a play on the stage, using the elements of theatre”. Corroborating

his view, Sangwell (2021,p.1) notes that:

A stage production is the presentation of human behaviours, psychology and culture

through the intersection of text, bodies, time and space. Theatre Performance develops and

enhances a learner’s analytical, evaluative and critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Through study and practice in theatrical analysis and research, play script interpretation

and engagement in theatrical production processes, learners develop their acting, aesthetic,

interpretive and communication skills, and their understanding of culture and society

Sangwell’s position accurately captures the essence and main aim of every stage production as

deployed in this study. For each stage production attempts to showcase human behaviour either

how it occurs in realistic terms or imaginatively, how it ought to occur.

13
Furthermore, Majore (2015,p.1) submits that:

A stage production otherwise known as a theatrical production is the process involved

in conversion of a dramatic text into a theatrical performance which involves a diverse

range of art forms from acting, direction, production, lighting, stage props, costume

designing, music, backstage support etc. It is a transformation of one art form into

another from text to an enriching visual experience of performance.

A closer look at this position reveals the fact that a stage production is an embodiment of all the

elements of theatre, both the technical and performance elements in order to achieve an artistic

whole. It talks about the entire process where by all theatre elements are incorporated and

harnessed so as to achieve an artistic and aesthetic performance. This view is accepted in this

study since virtually all stage productions undergo a process and equally make use of theatre and

dramatic elements. Maybe, it was Majore’s view that made Musa (2004, p. 26) conclude that:

This complex process of conversion of text into performance begins with interpretation or

drawing out of underlying meaning of a dramatic text through careful and comprehensive

study of central themes and various recurring motifs present in the dramatic script. This

interpretation or transformation very often undergoes a substantial degree of change in

order to serve a specific audience, very often known as an adaptation in world of theatre

and cinema.

First of all, Script interpretation and analysis is the starting point of every stage production

whether scripted or improvised. That's for a production to take place, the script must be carefully

interpreted with the director’s concept formulated then appropriate production style to be

deployed identified.

14
On the contrary, Nelms (1958, p.35) notes that:

Though a stage production is a complex process which involves a varied range of

expertise, a few of the most important components of stage production are as follows:

1. Acting

2. Direction

3. Production

4. Costume

5. Set design

6. Stage props

7. Lighting

It is obvious that Nelms view centers on the crew that are involved in a stage production.

Therefore, since this study is not about the crew that are involved in a stage production, this view

fails to capture the aim of this research and is therefore not accepted in the study.

15
 CHAPTER THREE

AN APPRAISAL OF THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PRODUCTION STYLE IN THE STAGE

PERFORMANCE OF “JAKADIYA”

3.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the analysis on an appraisal of the significance of production style in stage

performance of Jakadiya, directed byJemila Janet John. The analysis is done under the following

sub headings:

Synopsis of the production

The production style used in the production

The significance of the on the outcome of the production in the areas of:

i. Directing

ii. Acting

iii. Set design and props

iv. Make-up and Costume design

v. Lighting design

16
vi. Songs and Dance

3.2 Synopsis Of The Production

Jakadiya performance was directed by Jemila Janet John (Directing student) and performed on

11th June, 2019.

Scene One

The first scene (tableau scene) of performance started with Hausa-Fulani traditional dance

songs. The dancers came out, dancing and singing until an audience-player (Old woman)

interrupted from the audience. The old woman stopped the dance, asked them few questions and

then, told them to leave the stage, that she wanted to tell them a story. She raised a song, they

joined her singing and dancing as they all left the stage. Then, the audience-player introduced

the performance to the audience and the performance started properly.

Scene Two

In this scene, it is a coronation eve and there is serious preparation in the palace as group of

dancers came out danced to cheer Uwar Soro and her friend up. After the dancers left, Jakadiya

presented Atine to Uwar Soro and Atine is accepted as a King's consort.

Scene Three

Jakadiya (Bilkisu) is betrayed by Madawaki who refused to grant her freedom even though Sarki
AbdulGafar has given her freedom before his death and she is also denied the title of
“Magajiya”.

Scene Four

17
Jakadiya went to the grave dancing and expressing pain and she also carried a cloth which she
unfolded to reveal her agony and she fearfully ran out of the graveyard in fear, leaving Yakubu
(the grave tender) confused.

Scene Five

In this scene, a group of dancers came to practice various dance steps in preparation for the
coronation but two of them were missing the steps, they got discourage and went to the left side
of the stage to gossip while other dancers continued practising the dance steps. Prince El-Rufai
entered and they all kneeled and bowed their heads in respect.

Scene Six

In this scene, Jakadiya revealed how she has been exploited and her pains. Dattijo tried to
persuade her to run by giving her money and she got to know that Dattijo knows about the
exchange of her son and she felt betrayed.

Scene Seven

Jakadiya sat in anger and is determined to watch on as tragedy befalls the royal family. Atine
also, is seen in anger as she raged and said she will kill Prince El-Rufai. Atine went into a trance
and expressed so much faith in her goddess, Oyiza. Jakadiya later became hopeful as she planned
to drug Uwar Soro.

Scene Eight

In this scene, Jakadiya and Atine disguised to make sure El-Rufai lives. After sharing the cola

nut with Prince El-Rufai, Uwar Soro woke up from sleep and screamed. As she came out,

everybody became confused seeing that she is not the one who shared the cola nut with El-Rufai.

Jakadiya is exposed and she revealed why she disguised to share the cola nut with El- Rufai.

Uwar Soro got angry, walked into the chamber, brought a knife and stabbed Jakadiya to death.

El-Rufai cried and then, made a declaration that "henceforth, all 'Jakadiyas' will no longer be

slaves".

18
The audience-player interrupted and spoke explaining how Jakadiya fulfilled her by saving the

life of her son El-Rufai.

3.3 The Style Used In The Production

From the interview conducted with the director of the production and observation by the

researcher, the production style deployed in the production is eclecticism. Eclecticism as a

production style that involves the use of two or more styles by a director while staging a

production. In her words, “to realise this production, the director uses eclecticism. Eclecticism

as a production style has to do with combining different production styles to achieve a single

production”.

This style was propounded by Max Reindhart, an Australian-born theatre and film director, an

intendant, and theatrical producer in 1900. Mitter (2005) rightly puts that, “Reinhardt possessed

an almost supernatural capacity for theatrical invention and that his lack of a distinctive style was

the product of an imagination too great to be contained within the orbit of an exclusive idea”(p.

22).

Eclecticism as a style that deploys more than one style in a production, this production is a

combination of Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre, Konstantin Stanislavski’s realism and

Abdulrasheed Adeoye’s Noe-Allienation. These three production styles are combined to achieve

19
this production. Now, each of the styles will be examined in detail in relation to how they were

used in the production.

3.3.1 Bertolt Brecht’s Epic Theatre

This is known as the Brechtian style. It was propounded by the German dramatist, director and

poet Bertolt Brecht in 1920s. Brecht used his theatre to distance the audience from the

performance and so he created the Verfremdungs effekt (alienation effect). This type of theatre

addresses contemporary issues. Mitter (2005) said that, in his theatre, he sought to break up

sequences of action so as to demonstrate that, given a, it is inevitable that b should follow. This

would, he hoped, encourage his audiences to stop accepting that their lives were somehow

predetermined and impossible to better (p.52). Brecht made use of different techniques for his

production style. These include:

Breaking the fourth wall

Montage

Narration

Minimal set, costumes, props and lighting

Coming out of character

Use of song, music and dance

3.3. 2 Konstantin Stanislavki’s Realism

This production style was propounded by Konstatin Stanislavski in 1909 when he recorded the

first outline of the Stanislavski's system and it was well established in the nineteenth century.

This style requires that a performance should be real. It means that an actor must not pretend to

be someone else but he/she must achieve a level of complete metamorphosis or transformation

20
into the character of the play. This style calls for reality on stage. Stanislavski used the following

techniques to achieve reality on stage:

Units and objective

Line of actions and super objective

Magic if

Imagination

Analysis of text through action

Subtext

Communion

Physical Apparatus

Concentration

Truth and belief

Adaptation

Tempo-rhythm

Relaxation

Emotional memory

3.3.4 Abdulrasheed Adeoye’s Neo-Alienation

This production style was propounded by Professor Abdulrasheed Adeoye. This style is a re-

interpretation of the Brechtian with a fusion of both the western and African theatre. It recreates

a theatre where the African festival theatre and the Western Epic theatre are merged to form a

style which is, Neo-Alienation. The techniques used for Neo-Alienation which Adeoye refers to

as “twelve aesthetic possibilities” are:

21
 The aesthetic of theme song and audience/players’ systematic fraternization.

Multiple role-playing aesthetics.

The theory of artistic deconstruction.

The aesthetics of human props and demystification.

The multiple narrators’ aesthetics.

The aesthetics of de-technicalisation.

On-stage Make-up and costuming aesthetics.

The aesthetics of complete instrumentation on stage.

Photoramic/captions aesthetics.

The modern operatic aesthetics.

Trado-modern dance aesthetics.

Critical recalling curtain call aesthetics.

3.4.1 The Significance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In The

Area of Directing

From the interview conducted with the director of the production on 4th July, 2021, the director
used both inner and outer resources for the movement and composition of actors on stage.

In her words, "As a director, it's either you use inner or outer resources or both for the movement, actions
and composition of actors on stage. However, i used both the inner and outer resources in this
performances since my production style is eclecticism. The use of outer resources is based on Brecht's
opinion that; A director should decide the blocking for the actor, which is done not for formal beauty but
to clarify the structure of the human relationships in the play. The point here is that, my use of outer
resources for the movement and composition of actors on stage is based on this ground. While, the use of
inner resources for actors' role interpretation (action) on stage is based on stanislavki's system which
requires an actor to use his inner resources for role interpretation or to fully embody the character, in
order to create illusion or reality on stage"

22
These words of the director brings us to conclusion that, the director fused Brecht's Epic Theatre and
Stanislavski's Realism as she used outer resources in giving the actors blockings and then, allowed the
actors to use their inner resources for role interpretation in order to achieve the production. This equally
gave a positive impact on the outcome of the production.

3.4.2 The Siggnificance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In
The Area Of Acting

The production used only one technique from the Brechtian style and does not seek to distance

the audience from the performance, which is 'breaking the fourth wall' technique.

Breaking The Fourth Wall

In a dramatic theatre, there is usually an imaginary wall known as the fourth which is the

partition that separates the actors from the audience. In this production, the fourth wall was

broken by encroaching into the audience as most actors came out and exited from the audience

throughout the performance, and by giving the audience some lines other than acting like their

oblivious of the audience. This is evident in Scene Three, where Jakadiya gave some of her lines

(...not that type of title. I want a good that announces my elegance, the one that commands

genuine respect, the one that will compensate me for the pains, humiliations and the

contributions which I have made in this palace all these years.....) to the audience, Scene Seven,

where both Jakadiya and Atine (the new King's consort) gave most of their lines to the audience,

the last scene where Prince El-Rufai gave his lines (...henceforth, all 'Jakadiyas' will no longer be

slaves.) to the audience while making a declaration and many others scenes of the performance.

23
This technique helped to carry the audience along throughout the production, arrested their

attention and enhanced their understanding about the worldview of the production. It also

removed their suspension of disbelief and enabled them to see the production as a means of

instruction or teaching, rather than an escapist means of entertainment.

The production also made use of Konstantin Stanislavski's techniques in acting, such as:

Magic If

Stanislavski asked actors to feel as if they were not themselves but the character they

portrayedrequires the actor to answer questions like “if I was a Jakadiya, how will I talk?” This

technique was clearly used in the production through characters like Jakidiya, Gambo, El-Rufai,

Uwar Soro, Atine and Ahmed Dattijo (the blindman in Scene Three and Six) who tried as much

as possible to present their characters rather than represent the characters on the stage. This

added colour to the artistic and aesthetic outcome of the production, thereby, yielding a positive

impact to the production.

Subtext

The underlying meaning of a text is known as subtext. These underlying meaning are meant to

be communicated to the audience by actors, using gestures, intonation, facial expressions and

movements. For Stanislavski, subtext add texture and richness to an action. Such underlying

meanings were equally communicated to the audience during the production by the actors and

actresses. For instance, in scene Five of the performance when El-Rufai brought gifts to Jakadiya

(Bilkisu), his biological mother, it can be inferred by the audience that those gifts and praise

24
singing is what prompted her change of decision not to allow him die during the coronation

process.

Truth And Belief

Truth on stage tries to picture what could have happened if an event had really taken place. The

actor’s ability to believe in such a circumstance makes the circumstance or event look real to the

actor who will react naturally to the circumstance. During the production, the actors and

actresses tried to make the dramatic events as truthful, believable and realistic as possible. For

instance, in The Last Scene where Jakadiya (Bilkisu) is killed, the killing seems very real and

believable to the audience, due her reaction to Uwar Soro's action of stabbing her.

The production equally made use of AbdulRasheed Adeoye's Neo-Alienation techniques, which

includes following:

The Aesthetic of Theme Song and Audience And Players Systematic Fraternisation

The production made use of an audience-player who interrupted the dance on stage at the

beginning (first scene) of the performance. The audience-player spoke (...stop! I say stop this

dance...what story do you want to tell with dance?...hmm! Important story, indeed!...what do you

know about life? What do you know about culture? What do you know about history?...) from

the audience and started a song (..Zo mu kawo mu ku labari..) which was used to fraternize with

the audience. The audience-player in the production enabled the audience to effectively relate

with the performance, further breaking the fourth wall so the production could be seen as a

means of orientation rather than that of mere entertainment.

25
Multiple Role-Playing Aesthetics

In the production, a single actor took on different roles like Gada and Praise Singer II (played by

a male actor with different costumes and characterization), Bala, Yakubu and Young Madawaki

(a single actor performed the three roles), Gogo Halima and Uwar Soro’s friend (a female actor

performed the roles) and Young Ahmed Dattijo and Praise singer I.

3.4.3 The Siggnificance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In

The Area Of Set Design And Props

The set design was semi- realistic, as the stage was decorated in the similitude of an Emir’s
palace. The audience space is also an extension of the stage, that was why the old woman acted
from the audience which makes the audience involved in the production. They had real life props
on stage like kwarya with fura in it, mats, walking sticks, For example, the old woman at the
beginning of the performance, Dattijo and others. Talking about the stagecraft of the
performance, let us look at various techniques of the styles deployed in designing and defining
the performance space. Thus:

Breaking The Fourth Wall

In a dramatic theatre, there is usually an imaginary wall known as the 'fourth wall' which is the

partition that separates the actors from the audience. In this production, the fourth wall was

broken by encroaching into the audience as most actors were coming in and going out from the

audience throughout the production. Again, the performance space was extended to apron where

graveyard was stationed and was also used it as a performance space. This is evident in Scene

Four where Jakadiya went to gtoveyard and met with Yakubu, the graveyard tender. This made

the performance space limitless for actors' use.

26
Imagination

All aspect of Stanislavki’s system required the actor to possess a rich source of imagination. This

imagination enables actors to translate extensively the dramatist’s fiction into theatrical terms.

The stage was also well designed in such a way that it creates “real” environment for them to act

in. With this decoration of the stage in similitude to an Emir's palace, it did not just heightened

the impression of reality but made the audience to identify with the environment of the

performance.

Despite the elaborate set design and real props on the stage, the director equally broke the fourh

wall and extended the performance space so that the audience would not just appreciate and be

carried away with action and beautiful decoration on stage that look so real but also grasp the

message. This actually contributed and yielded a positive impact on the artistic and aesthetic

outcome of the production.

3.4.4 The Siggnificance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In

The Area Of Make up And Costume Design

The characters were made up to look almost like what the characters would look like. The
costumes are real life costumes. For instance, the costume of Prince El-Rufai and Uwar Soro
( the Queen Mother) which depicts royalty, affluence and the costume worn by Atine in Scene
Two which depicts slavery.

It is important to note that the production made use of elaborate make up (most especially, on

Uwar Soro and Dattijo) and costume design (specifically, Prince El-Rufai's costume) to aid

actors' expressiveness while interpreting their roles in order to suite the directorial interpretation.

3.4.5 The Siggnificance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In

The Area Of Lighting Design

27
The production adopted Brecht's Epic lighting as the lighting director of the production

abandoned the idea of hiding sources of light to achieve a mysterious effect to draw the audience

into the action. Although, spotlight was used to emphasize on certain actions but still the stage

design was flooded with harsh white light, regardless of where the action was taking place and

leaving the stage lamps in full view of the audience. This obvious lighting was to constantly

remind the audience that they were watching a performance.

3.4.6 The Siggnificance Of The Production Style In The Outcome Of The Production In

The Area Of Songs And Dance

According to the director, every African theatre is a total theatre and so music and dance is not

detachable from African performances (Neo-alienation). The production made use of

Hausa/Fulani songs and dance steps to communicate the production concept. The researcher also

observes that Brechtian technique was deployed in this aspect of the performance as well. Thus:

Use Of Songs, Music And Dance

In Epic theatre, songs are intentionally used to interject the action at key junctures to get the

message across. The songs are used to express ideas of the performance's themes independently

and provide a separate comment on the action about themes and ideas. Music helps distance the

audience by not reinforcing the performance but to provide a counterpoint to the action on the

stage. The words and tunes clash which draws attention to the words.

The use of different Hausa-Fulani traditional songs and dance steps added aesthetic to the

production and also communicated to the audience about the worldview of the production. The

dance steps and songs were also used to communicate the atmosphere of certain scenes like the

dance in Scene Six which projected the directorial concept (exploitation) and the song and dance

28
in The Last Scene communicated the sober mood of that scene as the protagonist was killed for

saving the life of her son.

Based on the assessment of the production style deployed in the performance, it can be drawn to

conclusion that, the production style has been aptly deployed in the performance as it positively

impacted on the artistic and aesthetic outcome of the stage production in all spheres.

The ability of the director to select a production style that best suite the production can not be

overlooked as well. The artistic intellect and craftiness she displayed in selecting and fusing

different techniques of each of the styles used, did not just suite the directorial interpretation but

positively, influenced the artistic and aesthetic outcome of the stage production in all spheres;

Directing, acting, set design and props, makeup and costume design, lighting design and, songs

and dance.

29
 CHAPTER FOUR

SUMMARY, FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATION AND CONCLUSION

4.1 Introduction

This chapter presents the summary, findings, recommendation and conclusion for the study.

4.2 Summary

This study is an exploration of the significance of production style in the stage performance of

"Jakadiya" directed by Jemila Janet John. It is made up of four chapters.

Chapter one deals with the foundational aspects of the study. It starts with an introduction where

the background to the study is provided. The statement of research problem identifies the

academic or scholarly gap which this study seeks to fill within the research area of play

production analysis. The Aim and Objectives identify the main motif of the research and what it

seeks to achieve. Thereafter, significance of the study discusses the importance of the study

within the research area and the field of study, as well as in the entire society. Research questions

presents the basic investigative questions upon which this study was predicated or based.

Research Methodology presents and discusses the data collection method, stating the process and

procedure that was used in gathering both primary and secondary data for the study. The scope

and delimitation of the study discusses the extent and limit of the primary data that was collected

and analyzed for the study.

30
Chapter two presents a review of the related literature for the study. In this chapter, several

scholarly positions relating to the subject matter of this study are reviewed with some opinions

accepted as the supports and aptly captures the essence of the study, while others are rejected as

they are not apt to the thrust or aim of the study.

Chapter three presents the analysis about the significance of production style in the Stage

production of "Jakadiya". The analysis starts with a brief synopsis of the production and ends

with an in-depth analysis on the subject matter. During the analysis, certain production styles that

were used in the production are identified and their significance in the production are equally

highlighted and discussed.

Chapter four presents a summary, findings, recommendations and conclusion for the study.

Hereafter, a list of all intext citations is provided as References.

4.3 Findings

After an exploration of the stage performance of Jakadiya, the study finds out that:

A production style is very significant in determining the outcome of any stage production since it shapes

and reshapes everything about a production.

The eclectic production style used for the production had a positive impact on the outcome of the

production in areas such as costume and make, acting and stage craft, lightning design and music and

dance.

In the area of costume and make, the production style enabled the performance to reflect verisimilitude

with the time, historical and cultural setting of the performance through Stanislavsky's realism as actors

and actresses wore costumes and make up in the performance that reflected social reality.

31
In the area of stage lightning, apart from providing illumination for the performance,the light enabled the

performance bear semblance with the mood and tempo of it's dramatic genre (which is tragedy).

In the area of acting and stage craft, the breaking of the fourth wall carried the audience along with the

world of the performance as some actors and actresses descended among the audience, rendering their

lines and acting out their roles on their way to the stage thereby, making it appeal not just to their

emotions, but also to their critical consciousness, using Brecht's Epic theatre.

The music and dances used in the performance equally impacted positively on the production as they

communicated certain messages to the audience as well as help in conveying the main message and

meaning of the play to the audience. Through Abdulradheed's Neo-allienation and Brecht's Epic theatre

effect, songs, music and dance were used to reflect the cultural setting of the play, shading more light

about the performance.

4.4 Recommendation

Having conducted a thorough investigation about the significance of production style in the stage
production of "Jakadiya", this study hereby presents the following recommendations:

i. Since production styles are theoretical guides for play production, which helps in shaping
and reshaping the outcome of productions, it is there good to keep on deploying them in stage
productions.

ii. There is need to always scout for a very suitable production style to be deployed in any stage
production as a wrong style would influence a negative outcome of a production while a right
and suitable style would influence a positive outcome of a stage production.

iii. The study applauds AbdulRasheed Adeoye’s efforts of merging the Western and African
theatrical aesthetics to come up with a production style that can be adopted for African
productions within this era where western civilization has gained so much grounds in the African
continent. The study therefore recommends that other African theatre scholars should also follow
so that there would be much African oriented production styles to draw upon while staging a
production.

32
iv. When staging a play, the director should be conscious of the socio-cultural, political,
economic and historical circumstances of the play before choosing a style to be adopted for the
production.

v. A production style is the spine of every stage production since it provides the central idea

around which everything that is done in a production revolves.

4.5. Conclusion

Over the years, several productions have been performed and each of such productions usually

adopts one style or the other. The stage production of "Jakadiya" is equally one of such

productions which have adopted an eclecticism as a production style where three production

styles were combined to realize the production. It is therefore important to state that, production

styles are the spine or backbone of every stage production and therefore, it is good for

realization of stage productions, however, an appraisal or evaluation of how these styles are

significant in determining the outcome of such stage productions is most important as it broaden

views about productions, gives more scholarly attention to stage productions as well as makes

directors to be more conscious of adopting more suitable styles for specific productions. This

study is an attempt in this direction as the analysis and findings contained here in are designed to

achieve this purpose.

33
 References

Abrams, M. H. & Harpham, G. (2012). A glossary of literary terms. Australia: Wadsworth.

Abdulrasheed, A.A (2015). The Thesis and Synthesis of Production Philosophy in African

Literary Theatre Directing. African Research Review, An International Multidisciplinary

Journal. Ethiopa. Vol 9.N0 2. Pp 13-23.

Adenekan, L. Q. (2017). Theatre and Performing Arts in Contemporary Northern Nigeria: A

Directorial critique of the Production of “LaifinWaye”. An Unpublished paper presented

in the Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Bayero University Kano.

Brocket, O. (1992). The essential theatre. New York: Harcourt Brace, Jonanovich College

Publishers.

Cameron, K. & Gillespie, P. (1996). The enjoyment of the theatre. Boston: Ally and Bacon.

Canfield, C. (1963). The Craft of Play Directing .New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.

Crook, P.B. (2018). Pre-production premier for Theatre. New York. Routledge pub.

(p.22). Oxon: Routledge.

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Gillette, J. M. (1997). Theatrical Design and Production: An Introduction to scene design and

construction, Lighting, sound, costume and make-up. New York. MC Graw Hill

publishers.

Hassan, H. F (2019). The Use of Non-Verbal Communication in the Stage production of

“LaifinWaye”. An Unpublished project submitted to the Department of Theatre and

Performing Arts, Bayero University Kano.

Iorhom, M. I. (2019). An Appraisal of Directorial Approaches in the production of Adenekan’s

“Mallam Dabo” and Bhadmus “LaifinWaye”. An Unpublished project submitted to the

Department of Theatre and Performing Arts, Bayero University Kano.

John, J.J. ( 2021, July, 4). Interview. Garba Karfe Investment, Unguwa- Uku, Kano state.

Kothari, C. & Gaurav, G. (2004). Research Methodology Methods and Techniques. New Delhi.

New Age Int. Pub.

Kure, J. (2019). The Study of Role Interpretation in the stage production of Ahmed Yerima’s

Pari. An Unpublished project submitted to the Department of Theatre and Performing

Arts, Bayero University Kano.

Koay, J. (2016). What is reader response theory? New York: EduMaxi books

Majore, G. M. (2015). Theatrical Production: A Study of various aspects of Production and

performance. New York. Routledge.

Mitter, S. (2005). Max Reindhart. In. [Link] & M. Shevtsova (Ed), Fifty Key Theatre

Directors.

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Monta, M.F &Stanley, J.R (2008). Directing for Stage and Screen. New York. Palgrave

Macmillan pub.

Musa, R. A. (2004). Play Directing and Play Director: An Exploration of the Theoretical

Framework. A Ph.D. Postgraduate Seminar Paper presented at the Department of Theatre

Arts, University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

Nelms, H. (1958). Play production. New York: Barnes and Noble Book.

Ogunbiyi, M.T (2016). Directorial Style and Stylization: The photographic Synthesis in Teli

Okolo’s Dramaturgy on The Nigerian Theatre stage. Ekpoma Journal of Theatre and

Media Arts (EJOTMAS). Vol 5. N0 2. Pp1-26.

Ojediran, O, Arinde, T.S and Gborsong, P.A. (Eds.), (2019). African Culture and performance

Dynamics in the Dramaturgy of Abdulrasheed Abiodun Adeoye. ISBN: 978-978-56453-

1-6.

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Sangwell, D. (2021). Theatre Production. London. Tasmanian Pub.

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Nigerian Literary Theatre. An Unpublished project submitted to the Department of

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Yerima, A. (2017).[Link]: Kraft Books Limited.

36
APPENDIX: FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE STAGE

PRODUCTION OF "JAKADIYA " ( Online Interview)

Question: 1

What production style did you use in the production?

Answer

To realise the production, I used eclecticism.

Question: 2

What is the production style all about?

Answer

Eclecticism as a production style has to do with combining different production styles to achieve
a single production. This theory was propounded by Max Reindhart, an Australian-born theatre
and film director, an intendant, and theatrical producer in 1900. Mitter (2005) rightly puts that,
“Reinhardt possessed an almost supernatural capacity for theatrical invention and that his lack of
a distinctive style was the product of an imagination too great to be contained within the orbit of
an exclusive idea”(p. 22).

Question: 3

What are the styles you combined to realize the production?

Answer

37
It was a combination of Bertolt Brecht's Epic Theatre, konstantin Stanislavski’s realism and
Abdulrasheed Adeoye’s Neo-Alienation. Although the realism was simplified. These two
production styles were combined to achieve the production.

Question: 4

What informed your choice production style?

Answer

What prompted my choice of production style was my directorial interpretation which was informed by
the playtext itself. I used eclecticism because as a director I wanted to stage a performance that
will incorporate African theatre and at the same time, look real and

38
SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE STAGE PRODUCTION OF

"JAKADIYA " (Physical Interview)

Question: 1

How did you use the production style in your directing?

Answer

Well, As a director, it's either you use inner or outer resources or both for the movement, actions and
composition of actors on stage. However, i used both the inner and outer resources in this performances
since my production style is eclecticism. The use of outer resources is based on Brecht's opinion that; A
director should decide the blocking for the actor, which is done not for formal beauty but to clarify the
structure of the human relationships in the play. The point here is that, my use of outer resources for the
movement and composition of actors on stage is based on this ground. While, the use of inner resources
for actors' role interpretation (action) on stage is based on stanislavki's system which requires an actor to
use his inner resources for role interpretation or to fully embody the character, in order to create illusion
or reality on stage.

Question: 2

Why did you not use all the techniques of each of the styles deployed in the production?

Answer

The simplest answer to this question is, I didn't find the other techniques useful in my production. As a
director, I knew what I wanted to achieve with style in the production or put, my vision and my directorial
interpretation was what helped in selecting the various techniques from each of the styles.

39
Interview with the director (Jemila Janet John - faced from left).
Time: 5:00pm.
Date: 18th July, 202.
Location: Garba Karfe Investment, Unguwa-Uku, Kano state.

40