1.

Preamble
I would like to preface my presentation with observations from the 2011 Adjudication –Kenya
Schools and Colleges National Drama Festival held in Kisumu thus:
It seems most directors are only interested in having students run though their lines and
then mask any weakness with gimmicks such as gadgetry, spectacles and ineffectual sounds or
music. The results is that student shout themselves hoarse, act in a stiff and inhibited manner
and generally get exhausted with performance. Our directors need to differentiate between
actions that are fit for the cinema and which are appropriate for the limited space of the drama
festivals …directors and teachers should avoid experimenting with daring actions, movements
and /or spectacles that put children at the danger of injury … (In the Narrative), the inability to
create vivid images and metal pictures in the audience is leading narrators to begin relying on
gadgets to take over the role of a storyteller.

From the above remarks, it is obvious that heavy props and gadgetry become more of an
impediment in the execution of dramatic performance. It should be noted that dramatic
performance, be it play, a dance ,verse or narrative ,must have a story that must be realized on
stage it is good to borrow from Freytag Pyramid model that “articulates a set of structural rules
which could be applied to every dramatic text …that a plot develops in the dialectical conflict
between action and counter action and thus moves from the exposition of the conflict ( and
characters) through the antagonistic climax to the catastrophe “ or a denouement .It does not
matter whether you are using a chronological sequence of events or cinematic technique of a
flashback .The beginning of a story must have an inciting action ,leading to tension that propels
the story to a climax ending into a reversal and rounding up of the characters ,the conflict ,the
story and poetic justice that denotes fair distribution of rewards and punishment.

But this story must be realized in a stage performance that constitutes manipulation of body
voice and acting space .Dramatic action, character inter -relationships, language,
symbolism ,role playing, stage props ,costumes ,music ,song and dance, lighting and sound
effects are some of the parameters that a stage performance can be realized . Props and
gadgetry are supposed to enhance but not inhibit the performance.
2. Use of symbolic stage set
What goes into a one –act play production which normally runs for about forty or less minutes
must be functional. To have a cost effective production, the properties and costumes should be
symbolic not superfluous. The props should be minimal, Easy to handle and move around
without interfering with the production. Sometimes the props overwhelm the production in
such a way that the heavy props take up too much acting space that interferes with the
performers’ movement or exchange of scenes

A bush or a branch of a tree is enough to suggest that the action is taking place in a forest; a
blackboard suggests a classroom, a banco spring –bed denotes a bedroom. You don’t need to
bring the amazon forest on stage to suggest scenery in a forest .Here a symbolic back drop
suggesting a locale of action is handy instead of using heavy props

3. Mime and improvisation

The creation of scenery can be reinforced by sound effects on or off-stage by the actors
themselves .You don’t need a music system to record the sound of birds and animals or songs.
Sometimes use of gadgetry can be frustrating during a performance when the break down or
there is a sudden blackout.
Sound effects-including music should be produced by the performers. A taxi –park, a market, a
river bank, lake or sea shore a forest or ranch scene can be created through the imitation of a
cacophony of sounds relevant to the relevant or particular scene.

It is good to improvise; avoid lethal items like spears or fire during a production. Avoid actual
food on stage or birthday cake. Supposing you are to restage the play the same day, you may
not have to bake the cake again .As has been mentioned, avoid heavy props or gadgetry because
they may be too clumsy to handle and too expensive .It may negate the purpose of the festival
because head of the institutions may not give the necessary financial support. Costumes too
must be functional and preferably symbolic in order to reinforce the visual impression and sense
of contrast between the characters in order to build conflict .It is advisable to work in tandem
with the music department to compose and fine tune the music for the desired effect. Liaise
with the Home Science Department for costume design from affordable fabric material and with
the Fine Art Department for combination of colours and body make -up.

Body make –up and ornamentation must be carefully chosen .producers must research their
communities for the symbolic significance and meaning .It is important to pay attention to
detail. The props, costumes, body-decoration, visual and sound effects including music must be
functional and add value in terms of sense impression or in the creation of mood and
atmosphere in that particular moment in a production .It must not be superfluous for spectacles
sake to dazzle the easily excitable audience and gullible honourable adjudicators.

One other way of cutting down on cost of production is the use of mime. In case a performer
wants to use other methods of sophistication in executing stage business on stage, such as
mime, it is important for the actor to master these skills .Mime is economical in terms of
communication. It is also cost-effective.
For the performer of mime, he must be aware of shapes, size, weight, taste, smell, texture,
sound etc.… of the object, he is supposed to mime .This is important so as to create credibility to
avoid shrinking or disappearing items such as imaginary drinking glasses or coffins. If an actor
has established an imaginary door, he must be consisted to avoid going through walls.

Since mime is a form of acting in which actors or performers entirely and exclusively depend on
facial expression , body movement ,gestures ,sometimes the performance is devoid of
voice ,props and sets; and in some cases ,it is a one man’s show without others characters ,the
actor must re-create other characters and must develop a sense of awareness of object he
mime. The actor must also be aware of the space and sense of the environment because he is to
re-act accordingly when he is executing his role. For instance, the actor’s reaction in the chilly
morning will be different in scorching sun in a hot afternoon. The actor must observe the rules
of credible acting- that is, make believe.

Sometimes mime is used in conjunction with other forms of stage performance for economy,
variety and emphasis although it is advisable for an actor who has not mastered the art of mime
to used realia props as long as they are not lethal or too heavy to handle with clumsiness on
stage

As mentioned earlier, improvisation or mine makes production cost –effective this cuts down on
production and transport expenses. For example, performers don’t need to carry heavy
plywood, cabinet –chests, sofa –sets, television sets. They can create an office with cabinets,
chairs and telephone hand-sets using human props. They can create a train, a boat, a matatu, a
ranch, a river –bank, a forest and so on using their bodies and voices .But the skill must be
perfected to convince the audience. This depends on the sense of creativity and imagination on
the part of the director and the artistes
4. Conclusion
A good performer must not depend gadgetry to deliver. He must be able to express range of
attitudes and emotions .He must manipulate his body, voice and the acting space. He must be
flexible and should have expressiveness, the actor must not shout or be over-whelmed by the
heavy props and gadgetry. He must convey recognizable human qualities willingly and naturally
by developing a sense of concentration in order to immerse himself into the role he is playing.
A good performer must always give an illusion of the first time even when he has been
rehearsing for a very long time in order to avoid being mechanical through unmotivated electric
reaction as seen in the many productions with heavy props and gadgetry which normally
interfere with the story , character and conflict development. This makes the script to be
episodic and does not give room to the development and sustaining of the emotions because
the story or script is disjointed.

The Kenya School and College Drama Festival is an enviable cultural movement that must be
jealously guarded .One of the ways to do this is to perfect the art of the basic stage
craftsmanship without falling prey to the creation of expensive dazzling spectacle that
encourages artificial acting in the name of striving to take a winning trophy home at the expense
of art. What is required is a cost –effective artistic stage performance that is not overwhelmed
by heavy non-functional and exorbitantly expensive props and gadgetry.