Fela And The Kalakuta Queens: A 7-day Celebration of Magical African Culture at the Pretoria State Theatre in South Africa.
Fela was magic but his wives were magical! Fela and the Kalakuta Queens explores Fela Kuti’s story; his art and music. Fela Anikulapo Kuti was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist and a social critic.
In April 2019, the South African State Theatre in Pretoria was filled to the brim. It was a beautiful day; filled with a brilliantly performed play. We screamed. We jumped. Strangers hugged one another. In that fleeting moment, our nationalities were forgotten. It was a spectacular day for African performance art lovers. The quality and competence of the performers held us all to ransom. It will be hard to forget this day.
Fela’s story is captivating. It is now performed in a musical called Fela And The Kalakuta Queens which chronicles the events within Fela’s Kalakuta Republic – his home. Prominent on the stage performance are the unique fashion, dance, and of course the intrigues amongst the 27 wives whom Fela married in a day! You can read a review of the musical from CNN or IOL. The brain behind this musical is Bolanle Austen Peters. She is the woman changing the face of theatre production in Nigeria.
