Crown Troupe marks its 25th anniversary with drama, music

The weeklong activities marking the Silver Jubilee of dance-theatre company, Crown Troupe of Africa, have commenced today, Monday, August 2.

The Troupe, founded on June 1, 1996, by actor, dancer and director, Segun Adefila, is renowned for its socially relevant and didactic dance-theatre creations.

The 25th-anniversary activities, holding under the auspices of Crown Troupe’s Eko Theatre Carnival (ETC), include masquerade display, carnival procession and theatre performances. Others are dance performances, seminars, games, workshops, film screening, exhibitions, fashion and music concerts.

In a hybrid format -physical and virtual- all the activities will hold at Crown Art Factory, 32 Awofodu Street, off Pedro Road Bariga and the   Bariga Boat Jetty, Ilaje Bariga. 

 A seminar themed ‘Theatre in Nation Building’ exploring the transitions in dance-drama from the late Hubert Ogunde/Duro Ladipo to the contemporary era kicked off the celebration this morning. 

It featured a theatre technician and ex-Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Duro Oni, as the keynote speaker. There will be two performances, ‘Nigeria Go Better’ by Kings and Queens, and ‘Fedeyede’ by the Troupe this afternoon, before a film screening rounds off today’s events. Fiona Whytte’s ‘All that is Golden Glitters’ will be screened by 6 pm.

Tomorrow, August 3, dramatist, director and lecturer at the Lagos State University, Professor Tunji Azeez, will deliver a lecture. It will be followed by ‘Eti Inu’ (Drums ensemble) by Crown Troupe and Starlight Home of Entertainment by 5 pm.  ‘Bariga Boy’ by Femi Odugbemi will screen at the Boat Jetty by 7 pm. 

There will be more performances on Wednesday at the Art Factory with  ‘Death Not a Raillery’ by Femi Richards and ‘For the Sake of Love’ by Whitestone Ambassadors on the bill. They will be at 4 and 5 pm. 

Yet more performances are scheduled for Thursday at the Art Factory with ‘Economic Independence’ by Art Castle Academy, happening by 4 pm; ‘The Last Letter’ by Ayo Odubona at 5 pm and ‘Efunsetan, Iyalode Ibadan’ by TheAtreCentrik at 6pm.

‘Recycled Fashion’ by Kings and Queens and Crown Troupe and ‘Economic Crisis’ by Footprints Art Ambassadors will happen on Friday at the Art Factory.

Seun Awobajo’s Footprints of David will showcase their talents with ‘Eniyan’ by 4 pm on Saturday, and the Crown Troupe will stage ‘Omo Odo’ at 5.30 pm.  Ijodee Arts will present ‘Kismet’ by 6.30 pm, with the screening of ‘Edunjobi’ by Q Dance Centre concluding the day’s activities.  

The 25th anniversary will end on Sunday, August 8 at Beeriga, Boat Jetty, with ‘Refashioned Recycle’ by Kings and Queens and Crown Troupe at 5 pm and a concert featuring BANTU, Moses, Sinmi Jay, Violin, Rush, FMJ, and Fashek by 6 pm.