The Challenges of Interpreting the Poetic and Lyrical Depth of Lighting in J.P. Clark's Plays

Abstract

From a humble beginning, lighting has gone beyond illumination. The need has always been there but lack of technology limited its full potential until the twentieth century. Like the Classical Greek plays, African plays appear not to have been written for stage lighting until African elite dramatists began to write in the European tradition. However, in telling African stories, the total theatre approach is hardly ignored. Yet some Nigerian playwrights have brought their deep poetic language to dramatic dialogue which thus challenges the creativity of the lighting designer. J.P. Clark is one of such playwrights. This essay discusses some of these challenging poetic lines and dramatic atmosphere which an ambitious designer can pursue through sound and light in the total theatre and illusionistic styles in Clark's drama