Approaches to Play Directing in Contemporary Nigerian Theatre: A Study of Segun Adefila and Bolanle Austen-Peters
Abstract Documentation remains one of the major challenges of the Nigerian theatre; as a result many theatrical performances have gone into oblivion. Studies have been conducted that have given birth to the many approaches to play production and theories of directing in the Nigerian theatre. However, most of these studies focused on directors in educational theatres, as many directors outside the academia seem not to have attracted much scholarly interest in terms of documentation. This research documents the directorial approaches of two Nigerian directors – Segun Adefila and Bolanle Austen-Peters – using four productions and will be of benefit to theatre scholarship and the industry. The study employs a qualitative method of research, and the findings reveal Segun Adefila as an anti-realistic director and Bolanle Austen-Peters as a realistic director. Also, both directors use film to support live drama in their productions. This study therefore recommends that directors embrace the use of film in live theatre, in line with technological trends around the world.