DEPARTMENT OF THEATRE AND PERFORMING ARTS

FACULTY OF COMMUNICATION
BAYERO UNIVERSITY KANO

ANTHONIA SEWUESE MOSES CMM/19/TFS/00511

RITJIMWA AYUBA TONGAKAH CMM/19/TFS/00525

DEBORAH THOMPSON CMM/19/TFS/00519

MUHAMMAD ABDULRAZAK CMM/19/TFS/00503

ISIAQ KABIR AFOLABI CMM/19/TFS/00527

ALIYU SEID CMM/19/TFS/00459

COURSE CODE: IMS 2302

COURSE TITTLE: INTRODUCTION TO DIRECTING

Every director uses one or two directorial styles while directing a play. This has also led to many

a director coming up with different approaches to directing. Directorial style refers to the means

or way through which a director passes an intended message to the audience.

Neo alienation is an offshoot of BertoltBretch epic theatre and which at the same time is a

realistic reworking of the robust African festival. This directorial style encourages actor audience

relationships. It is directorial style has been severally tested once Nigerian stage and proven

worthy of exploration.

BRIEF HISTORY

The proposer of the style of directing Is Dr. AbdulrasheedAbiodunAdeoye who is professor

and lecturer of the department of theatre and performing arts University of Ilorin, Kwara state. In

2018, he became the Head of the department. He is a dramatist, scholar, playwright and theatre

director. His directing prowess is admirable.

As a theatre director, one of his beliefs is that a director should evolve or develop a

directorial style. He made this statement in an interview session with Nwadigbo. He said

“without an approach, the director is not contributing anything to knowledge. (Nwadigbo, 2011)

In 2004, Dr. Adeoye propounded his directorial style which he termed “neoalienation”

Dr. Adeoye defines Neo Alienation as a theatre style that creates an alternative vision on

stage iconography and relies heavily on theater of performance rather than theatre of literature a

realistic working of the robust African festival theatre (Adeoye 2009, [Link])
 Having used the Bretchian style severally, Dr. Adeoye decided to interpret from his own

perspective and coined the neo alienation style of directing. The neo alienation have 12

aesthetics this aesthetics are a combination of both the Western and African theatrical features.

The neo alienation main focus is that actors remain on stage from the beginning of the

production to the end. Adeboye states that there is no hiding place in the theatre. Neo alienation

is an exposition of the Bretchian style of alienation effect where actors do no distance themselves

from the audience but rather carry the audience along in everything they do. That is to say, if an

actor is to change costume, he or she changes in front of the audience. If they makeup, they

makeup in front of the audience. It is a theatre where everybody can play any role. An actor can

take as many characters role as possible. This style of directing takes audience inclusiveness as a

major feature. Neo alienation calls for communism between the actors and the audience which is

also the basic feature of the epic theatre

For the exploration of this theory, Dr. Adeoye wrote and performed a play titled " the smart

game" (a neo alienation script) he also directed plays using this style of directing such as the "

the lion and the jewel by wole Soyinka and " the killers by Dr. Adeoye Abdulrasheed.

THE TWELVE (12) AESTHETICS OF NEO ALIENATION

To fully explore the concept of Neo Alienation, Dr. Adeoye submits 12 aesthetics that sum

raises or sums up the concept and structure of the neo alienation

1. The aesthetics of theme song of audience / players systemic fraternization

2. Multiple roles playing

3. Aesthetics of artistic deconstruction

5. The aesthetics of de- technization

6. The multiple narrator aesthetics

7. On stage makeup and costuming Aesthetics

8. The aesthetics of complete instrumentation on stage

9. Photoramic/captions aesthetics

10. The modern operatic aesthetics

11. Trado modern dance

12. The critical recalling curtain calls aesthetics

1. AESTHETICS OF THEME SONG OF AUDIENCE/ PLAYERS SYSTEMIC

FRATERNIZATION: This aesthetics involves using songs that gives credit to the play and

talks of the overall message of the play to the audience. This urges the audience to learn from the

play and see the play as the exact of what is happening in the society. Theme songs are songs

that talks about what the actors are trying to portray on stage. In the smart game (a neo alienation

script) actors came out from all directions, shaking hands with the audience and handing out

leaflets that contains their theme song lyrics. As the singing and dancing went on, the audiences

werecarried along as they joined in the singing and dancing

2. MULTIPLE ROLES PLAYING: Dr. Adeoye portrayed this aesthetics as seen in the

traditional African story telling where one person takes up the role of plenty character to
effectively tell the story. In this directorial. Style an actor may not be assigned to one character

but rather actors should be ready to take up multiple roles when need be.

3. AESTHETICS OF HUMAN PROPS: it is evident that Dr. Adeoye borrowed this

concept from Meyerhold. This aesthetics do away with stage properties and stage hands for the

performance. Rather, he uses human or performers as props. While directing the play " the lion

and the jewel" the intercourse scene between the chief and Sidi, he used humans to create the bed

they lay on while some actors used their bodies to cover the audience to give privacy to the chief

and Sidi

4. AESTHETICS OF ARTISTIC DECONSTRUCTION: This aesthetics deals with

doing the unusual. He merged both the African festival and the BretchianTheater whilst also

borrowing from other directors and combined all to coin a whole new theatre

5. THE AESTHETICS OF DE-TECHNILIZATION: since actors are being used as

props, the importance of stage scenery is juxtaposed. Actors use their bodies to create the

sceneries. This keeps the actors busy on stage and keeps them on stage from the beginning to the

end

6. MULTIPLE NARRATOR AESTHETICS: in most directing styles that uses a narrator,

a single narrating personality is used but for neo alienation, the role of narrator is not assigned to

one person but rather more than one person. In the smart game, three narrators were used. They

took turns to narrate but later unite to narrate at same thing. The beauty of their joint narration

gave the performance beauty and glamour

7. ON STAGE MAKEUP AND COSTUMING AESTHETICS: all changing of costumes

and make up is done onstage in neo alienation. Like Dr. Adeoye said, there is no hiding place in
the theatre. Everything is done under the watch of the audience. Since the actors are to remain

onstage, therefore the makeup artist and costuming artist gets the actors ready for the next scene

on stage. In the killers, player two brings costume to Emeka to play the role of major General,

Lanwa to play the role of executive messenger.

8. AESTHETICS OF COMPLETE INSTRUMENTALIZATION ON STAGE: Adeoye

implores that use of any instrument related to the audience be brought on stage. In every

conventional thetre, drummers are given seats either in the apron or beside the stage and so are

the choristers. B+ut in neo alienation, Adeoye brings bother the drummers and the drums are

brought on stage

9. PHOTORAMIC/ CAPTIONS AESTHETICS: The Photoramic caption is used to relay

information to the audience. It adds or enhances what the audience visually witness. It is

borrowed from the BretchianTheater. Though for the epic theatre, it can be used on a projector

but for neo alienation, the information is written on cardboards and projected for the audience

consumption. The smart game (a neo alienation script) the two masked dancers emerged with the

lyrics of the song written on it and dancing while holding it visible for the audience to see

10. THE MODERN OPERATIC AESTHETICS: for a complete theatre, it must consist

of drumming, dancing and singing and some drama. This implies to both the Western theatre and

African theatre. Therefore, it can be clearly seen where Dr. Adeoye got these aesthetics form.

This aesthetics refers to use of songs in a performance. Songs are important because it create the

mood and enhances what the audience is visually witnessing

11. Trado modern dance: is the fusion of both the African and western mode of dancing in a

performance
 12. The critical recalling curtain calls aesthetics: curtain call aesthetics in a theatre refers to

when the actors take a bow and leave the stage to signify end of the play. But in neo alienation,

Adeoye rebrand the curtain call. The key actors are called back to their normal character. The

actors then recall their actions and settle the conflicts. This is to implore the audience to reason

through their actions that are misappropriate

CONCLUSION

The epic theatre is a great contribution to the neo alienation theatre. The beauty of Neo

Alienation is that many actions can be done on the stage at the same time. The make-up artist

and the costumier get some actors ready for the next scene, some actors reacting to the action

being carried out, some playing at the corner of the stage or so many more all at the same time.

The Neo alienation is one of the popular directing styles in Nigeria. Many directors today

can't help but use this unique style in their works while some have borrowed one or more

aesthetics to develop their own directorial style.

Reference

HumanitatisTheoreticus Journal, vol.(1) (2018) p.28