Catching up - part 4

As I was in Stockholm and enjoying The Stockholm Burlesque Festival I was told that a large Swedish delegation were on their way to Ghana and amongst many things on the agenda was ... to see my play - Cinderama - at The National Theatre of Ghana!

And so, at the spur of the moment, it was decided that I should go to Ghana and help the cast "freshen up" the performance a bit.



From the far north with snow and cold winds to the hot streets of Accra - it felt great to be back!



I visited family like little Kwabena. But mostly I worked and rehearsed.



Cinderella is an universal story, but set in a Ghanaian context it has meaning to many children who are experiencing this very situation...



To be an attractive performance in Africa there must be, apart from a strong story, music...




A few grand scenes...



A ghost or two...



And some more music and dancing, to be considered a good show! :)



The cast on tour in Sweden.



These four years have been an amazing experience I wouldn´t have missed it for all the world, despite all the HARD work!

Photo : Mansour Hosseni

This is why! :)



The Swedish delegations gets a warm welcome outside The National Theatre! :)



And inside the place was jamming with a house full of schoolchildren!



Then I went with the cast to Ho were they were going to do a performance. This is what "fast food" looks like in Ghana! :)



Preparations.



This is an actors life on the road in rural Ghana.



This young man has to transform himself into an elderly person in order to play the linguist ( the Kings spokesperson ) and the plays narrator.



Helping each other get ready.



I "built" this dressing room with a hammer and a handful of nails! :)



When the stage is ready...



The show can begin!

Photo : Tobias Ståhl

Everywhere the show performed children gathered round to hear the story anew.

Photo : Tobias Ståhl

At schools the students would squeeze together to see the show.

Photo : Tobias Ståhl

This performance did more for alerting children and young women to the rights they have in society than any pamphlet could ever have done...

On tour in Sweden.

I would never have believed it had you asked me ten years ago... But Ghana now holds a place in my heart and in my future. Eventually I hope to build a Cultural Center in Ghana with a theatre, a children's library and a small museum. For I believe that a society that has thriving cultural institutions is a society were people can grow and flourish. Especially the children.