Veteran actors decry low turn up in theatre

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Ugandan veteran actors and actresses have blamed the low turn-up of people at theatre shows and plays to generational shift because the new generation of people has no idea about theatre and its impact on society.

The actors and actresses included Abbey Mukiibi, Mariam Ndagire, Eron Ntuulo Matovu, Mariam Bukenya, Robert Musiitwa, Phillip Luswata, Kaaya Kagimu and Amelia Kyaka Mboto of the Uganda Theatre Institute made the observation during a panel discussion about theatre and performing arts at Bat Valley Theatre in Kampala on Monday.

Abbey Mukiibi remarking during a panel discussion about theatre and performing arts at Bat Valley Theatre in Kampala on Monday. (Photo by Alfred Byenkya)

The panel discussion about the state of theatrical arts in Uganda was one of the activities that were done during the opening of the one-week performing and theatre arts festival that was organized by renowned stage actress Mariam Ndagire.

Mukiibi, who was reading a dissertation of a Makerere University student about the low numbers of people attending theatre today, said the challenge is as a result of generational shift that is being caused by the emergency of youth, who are now the majority of content consumers in Uganda.

“The recent population statistics show that youth are now the majority in Uganda (23.5%), followed by children (50%). This clearly shows that younger people are not interested in theatre plays because their main source of content is social media and the internet,” he said.

He also mentioned other challenges like competition from other forms of entertainment like sports, music concerts, free live band shows in bars, churches, and poor quality productions among other factors.

He then suggested that it is time to start a campaign to take theatre activities to schools and universities. “When we started acting, we used to perform in different secondary schools and universities and it is through this that we managed to build a genuine audience that supported us when we became professionals,” he said.

Mukiibi also advised that there is need to change the way theatre and the entertainment industry is marketed locally. “It is time to take theatre to the spaces where young people are because if we don’t do this, theatre will completely die due to lack of audience,” he said.

Phillip Luswata remarking during the panel discussion about theatre and performing arts at Bat Valley Theatre in Kampala on Monday. (Photo by Alfred Byenkya)

To Robert Musiitwa, the Public Relations Officer at National Theatre, taking theater to people means staging plays upcountry. To note, National Theatre (Uganda National Cultural Centre) is mandated to build cultural centres in the different regions of Uganda.

“It is time to build theatre infrastructures in other regions of Uganda, the way the government is doing with the construction of football stadiums in other regions to promote football,” he said. 

Veteran actor and director Phillip Luswata said the low turn up in theatres is the reason why he went back to lecturing performing arts at Makerere University.