If there is one question theatre makers world over have tried to answer in vain, it is the fact that no one knows what went wrong.
From Madrid to Kampala, more than 20 conferences, talks, and panel discussions have been discussing the fate of theatre. During this past week, this topic came back differently, at Bat Valley Theatre.
This was during the annual Theatre and Performance Arts Festival, which has been going on at the Bat Valley Theatre recently. Held under the theme, The Ugandan Theatre Renaissance Starts With You, the first thespians’ conference with an eight-person panel.
From writers and directors, including Phillip Luswata, Aganza Kisaka, to actress Juliet Nantambi, there was consensus that over the years, theatre has lost its spark.
‘There was a time we were paid Shs3m after a show, it was surprising, the theatre was full for more than a month,’ actor Abby Mukiibi said in his opening remarks.
But it was the panel discussion that got the audience engaged. Eron Ntulo Matovu, with experience of more than 20 years on stage, said there is a general lack of passion. He added that people are not rehearsing enough as they used to over the years.
The panel discussion, which brought together sectors such as media, marketing, creatives, including actors, directors, and writers, to producers, all noted that the existing theatre climate is not healthy.
Many argued that, unlike in the past, where most people depended on the TV and theatre for entertainment, today, there are many alternatives, including bars, amusement parks and cinemas that people do not even think about theatre that much.
This was, however, challenged by Godfrey Musinguzi of Uganda Cinema Night. He argued that Europe has better technology, more cinemas and high-end TV productions yet its theatre scene is still striving.
‘Mobile phones have only been able to replace theatre because something is lacking with theatre. It is not giving the audience what they want,’ he said.
Some argued that theatre these days has not challenged itself when it comes to the stories it tells. For instance, the argument is that most of the productions that are staged at the moment talk about the same things — either a man and his wife facing challenges brought about by the husband’s extra-marital affair or about a kingdom whose aging king occupies the throne illegitimately.
‘Of course, most of the stories we tell have been told before, but what makes them special is the fresh angle the writer puts on them,’ actress Mariam Ndagire said.
But then, there was a question of marketing. When theatre was thriving in the early 1980s to the early 2000s, much of the marketing was done on cloth banners, posters and later radio adverts, mainly done by Abby Mukiibi in his signature voice.
As years rolled by, the audience evolved, yet, for some reason, the marketing of theatre has not evolved. The audience has since become very visual, vibrant on TikTok, Instagram, and X. In Uganda, theatre spaces don’t have a presence on these platforms.
As the discussion wound up, it became evident that the festival had done more than revisit familiar debates, it had rekindled the will to rebuild. Many participants agreed that the future of Ugandan theatre depends on its ability to evolve without losing its soul. Theatre, they said, must reimagine its storytelling, embrace digital platforms, and engage a new generation of audiences while remaining true to its essence, the intimacy of live performance.
‘If we can make theatre exciting again, not by imitating television, but by being unapologetically theatrical, the people will return,’ remarked playwright and director Luswata, drawing applause from the audience.
In the end, the mood in Bat Valley was one of cautious optimism. With veterans such as Ndagire, Luswata, and Mukiibi reflecting on the golden years, and younger voices such as Aganza Kisaka and Eron Ntulo Matovu eager to redefine the art form, there was a shared belief that Uganda’s stage can rise again.
The festival’s theme rang true, not merely as a slogan, but as a challenge to everyone who loves the craft.
If the conversations at Bat Valley are any indication, Ugandan theatre’s story is not fading; it is simply waiting for its next act to begin.