.....the value of your soul can not be compared with thousands of angels. I will give up my only for the value of your soul......---INTELLECTO 2014 Theatre Nite
With so much hype, various al-night and half-night rehearsals, the much awaited INTELLECTO 2014 hosted by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) was carried to fruition. In keeping with resolution of the year I carried myself over all hindrance and got to venue almost just in time for the stated time of commencement. True to my greatest fears it ended up like the normal Christian Drama and Music events where organisers and ministers think little of the timing of the event basking in the sun of "all for God". At start time of 5pm ministers were not even ready come to talk of the stage.The event ended up starting a little before 7 pm
In a bid to make stage as elaborate as possible, the stage turned up to work against itself. With the positioning of the elaborate sound and lighting equipment, people seated at the wings had their view of certain parts of stage blocked and only those in the central column of chairs had a full view. Half of this column of chairs however had to contend with a mounted projector screen which most of the time was showing nothing, just as the other two mounted.
The elaborate lighting equipment did not seem to work perfectly as ministers sometimes looked like shadows when they should have been seen clearly and most of shots from the camera projected virtually showed up as shadows. My fickle mind would have thought the lighting should have focused more on illuminating stage for visibility than adding colour in complexity.
The Acts on the day .
The Shadow act was a very perfect opening to the whole event and captured the audience and drew them into the whole event. It however should have being kept short and not that long as attention was divulged along the line.
The Shadow act was a very perfect opening to the whole event and captured the audience and drew them into the whole event. It however should have being kept short and not that long as attention was divulged along the line.
Personally, I believe the Alumni Act stole the show. This spoken word was very simple, unique, easily identified with, and right on point.The great voice singing "Amazing Love" and interpretive dance in great harmony warmed the heart. No one could ever miss the message in this act.
With this out of the way, I thought all spoken words/poetry would have followed in the same vein. Bride and Groom looked like a mimicry of Passion for Christ Movement's (P4CM) poets Exekiel and Janette rendition of "Ready or not". Characters tried to mimic the actions in the act and this might be because they had been exposed to it as a sample. "God and Man" was a better showing as the characters worked and talked with passion and drew applause from the audience.
The drama was in a class of its own. It was simple and captivating, keeping suspense alive till the end. I will however like to see the sequel for what happened after the last scene.
After years of witnessing INTELLECTO hosted by various Schools, I believe this idea has to be taken to a greater and higher level to involve the youth in the city and not just students and associates/alumni. Publicity should also leverage on technology of the present day for maximum reach. I also believe time is ripe for INTELLECTO Theatre and Music night to be held in one day.
KUDOS to the Local Organising Committee but as it is always said "there is more room for improvement".
