West African Literatures: ways of reading (review)

This is a small but important collection of essays, interviews, notes and book reviews on contemporary Southern African theatre. The text provides a useful source for research as it collates studies around a variety of performance styles and influences from some very different parts of the region. The introduction states that the editorial brief was to ‘beam the spotlight on some of the geographical and methodological byways of the region’. This aim is achieved with some success, but the editors themselves state that the collection is ‘not representative of Southern Africa’ – three of the four main entries, including both interviews, are from South Africa. It should also be noted that neither the entry on Namibia nor the two on Angola make any significant reference to the influence of their indigenous cultures, but focus solely on colonial influences, even when summarizing the histories of these countries. It may be argued that these points are not problematic in themselves, but they do become so when expectation is created that the collection will provide access to theatre that is often under-represented and marginalized. It does this to a certain extent, but could have done it so much more successfully if it included entries from more Southern African countries and cultures. However, the collection is more than redeemed by an intriguing glimpse into Shona storytelling, two insightful interviews, the inclusion of a rare playscript and the very readable ‘Noticeboard’ section (which unfortunately will be discontinued in subsequent editions). This collection deserves a place on the shelf of any lover of Southern African theatre. Its existence serves to remind us that there is so much more to Southern African theatre worth researching and treasuring than is generally promoted in the mainstream.