New ingredients style up ‘Ssebalamu Tibesigwa’ A woman is made to suffer for the cruelty of her generosity and trust
Jan 05, 2006
<br>Play: Ssebalamu Tebesigwa<br>Group: Afri-talent<br>Playwright: Mariam Ndagire<br>Director: Abby Mukiibi<br>Showing at: Bat Valley this weekend<br>Review by: Emmanuel Ssejjengo
The group boosts of the play as one of the best ever staged. And in Mariam Ndagire’s writing career, it could easily pass for a climax. It has all the characteristics of her writing spilled all over it. It’s feminine and she uses relationships between men and women to show human gullibility, abused love and trust.
This 2003 release is back, but with more colouring. It is one reviewers will refer to as seriously funny. It is a mixture of satire, irony and the macabre in which the stupidities and hypocrisy of conventional society are viciously pilloried.
Mariam Ndagire blends wit and cynicism in her satirical portraits of this age.
The gods that are worshiped by Duncan Tebesigwa (John Segawa) are glamour, wealth and social status. As Ssebalamu’s partner in the law firm, he quickly uses her infatuation for him to gain control over the money.
In this cold and brittle world, the good woman is made to suffer for the cruelty of her generosity and trust.
John Segawa remains on the high with his decorative stage settings. The group has remained in office, as everything occurs at the reception. Here is where Ndagire, acting as the old receptionist, makes comments on life and the gossip of who is doing what.
With the sponsorship of MTN, there is enough yellow on stage. The uniform of employees of the law firm shines out. Florence Yiga and Jennifer Kabanda add to the MTN colour skin costume in the same line. Brenda Nanyonjo (as Maggie) is rarely on stage, and she only becomes audible with time. And trying to pull down her mini-skirt is a show of reduced confidence.
The 2003 production did not have a lot of sponsors’ influence. Akiiki’s(Abbey Mukiibi) phones all have MTN lines, unlike before when he would say, “I am connected to all the networks.â€
Patrick Mujuuka has the quirky twist in the tale. Glamourised feminism is cold to him. “They have UWESO, why don’t we get UMESO. They have FINCA, why don’t we have MINCA.†Such are the lines that you will miss in the later part of the play as action takes over dialogue.
With two commentators, the plot is made simple. Rosette (Mariam Ndagire) at the reception is witness to many scandalous events. And now that Ndagire is getting us used to her character as the good old lady, she is well fitted in this one. Abby Mukiibi is an outsider, who observes the intrigue in this office.
A jack-of-all-trades, who does everything, but seems to achieve nothing. He is believable and when he becomes the saviour at the end, it is some form of relief.
Ssebalamu Tebesigwa has not been much affected with the political events of the time (the Besigye and Katikkiro sagas). Subsequent shows could have such improvisations.
The play moves from being dialogue-based to action-based, a construction that makes it lose out on the witty statements. So, by the time the curtains are drawn, it is the beginning and not end that you will remember most.
Going by past shows, it is advisable to buy your tickets early for good viewing.
This 2003 release is back, but with more colouring. It is one reviewers will refer to as seriously funny. It is a mixture of satire, irony and the macabre in which the stupidities and hypocrisy of conventional society are viciously pilloried.
Mariam Ndagire blends wit and cynicism in her satirical portraits of this age.
The gods that are worshiped by Duncan Tebesigwa (John Segawa) are glamour, wealth and social status. As Ssebalamu’s partner in the law firm, he quickly uses her infatuation for him to gain control over the money.
In this cold and brittle world, the good woman is made to suffer for the cruelty of her generosity and trust.
John Segawa remains on the high with his decorative stage settings. The group has remained in office, as everything occurs at the reception. Here is where Ndagire, acting as the old receptionist, makes comments on life and the gossip of who is doing what.
With the sponsorship of MTN, there is enough yellow on stage. The uniform of employees of the law firm shines out. Florence Yiga and Jennifer Kabanda add to the MTN colour skin costume in the same line. Brenda Nanyonjo (as Maggie) is rarely on stage, and she only becomes audible with time. And trying to pull down her mini-skirt is a show of reduced confidence.
The 2003 production did not have a lot of sponsors’ influence. Akiiki’s(Abbey Mukiibi) phones all have MTN lines, unlike before when he would say, “I am connected to all the networks.â€
Patrick Mujuuka has the quirky twist in the tale. Glamourised feminism is cold to him. “They have UWESO, why don’t we get UMESO. They have FINCA, why don’t we have MINCA.†Such are the lines that you will miss in the later part of the play as action takes over dialogue.
With two commentators, the plot is made simple. Rosette (Mariam Ndagire) at the reception is witness to many scandalous events. And now that Ndagire is getting us used to her character as the good old lady, she is well fitted in this one. Abby Mukiibi is an outsider, who observes the intrigue in this office.
A jack-of-all-trades, who does everything, but seems to achieve nothing. He is believable and when he becomes the saviour at the end, it is some form of relief.
Ssebalamu Tebesigwa has not been much affected with the political events of the time (the Besigye and Katikkiro sagas). Subsequent shows could have such improvisations.
The play moves from being dialogue-based to action-based, a construction that makes it lose out on the witty statements. So, by the time the curtains are drawn, it is the beginning and not end that you will remember most.
Going by past shows, it is advisable to buy your tickets early for good viewing.