Fela! – The Musical

Filmed at the National Theatre in London, the hit Broadway show, “Fela! – The Musical”, tells the story of Nigerian artist and activist, Fela Kuti, through a three-hour extravaganza of heartbeat-raising song, dance, and dramatic discourse…

Filmed at the National Theatre in London, the hit Broadway show, “Fela! – The Musical”, tells the story of Nigerian artist and activist, Fela Kuti, through a three-hour extravaganza of heartbeat-raising song, dance, and dramatic discourse.

Set in Kuti’s “African Shrine” – the notorious ‘den of inequity’ which saw the emergence of his vivacious brand of Afro-beat – the compelling narrative meanders through Fela’s life sojourn, detailing his musical innovation, political conversion in the US, the symbiotic relationship he has with his “Mama”, and his regular spats with the ever-present military (“Too much Nigeria can give you a broken head”), all the while set against the dominant story of Nigeria, a desperate nation trying to fight off the shackles of foreign involvement – and the logic of corruption inherent in its own political system.

The musical has so far picked up three Tony awards, including best choreography by director Bill T. Jones (an utter genius who is interviewed during the film’s ‘intermission’), and it is easy to see why. Everything about the production makes demands for your complete attention, from its elaborate set designs and forward-thinking choreography, to the ten-piece tempo-setting jazz band providing the dramatic soundtrack for the story being played out on stage.

The main reason the shows holds itself together for the epic three hours, however, is the convincing performance of the main actor, Sahr Ngaujah, whose boundless energy sees him singing, dancing, narrating, and even rocking the saxophone, as he morphs completely into the tortured soul of Fela. Actress and singer Paulette Ivory also delivers a stand-up performance, playing Fela’s African-American girlfriend, Sandra Isadore, as she introduces Fela to the politics of Mandela, Malcolm X, and King – the main influencers of the iron-fisted American Black Power movement of the 70s. If the transition of Janelle Monae from Broadway actress to pop star is anything to go by, one could expect see a lot more of this sultry soul singer in the future.

“Fela! – The Musical” comes to a fore in the breathtaking ‘death scene’, where Fela undertakes a spiritual journey into the underworld to resolve the complex relationship he has with his mother. The black lighting and morbid feel to the whole affair is hard to describe, but pulls you right into the silver screen delivering some of the most holistic drama I have seen in a film, or anywhere for that matter. The film-of-the-stage-show is beautifully edited, and “Fela!” is not just for theatre addicts.

With any luck it will have you dancing in the aisles and singing along, and also leave you with a sense of hope that Nigeria, and the African continent as a whole (see Thread’s reviews of African documentaries for A Small Act and An African Election here) may finally be on the uphill road to self-redemption, or as Fela himself puts it, “Music is about change. I’m going to change the world” – an act which is indeed occurring vicariously through the film itself.

Written by Theo Sangster 3 February 2011.