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‘This is actually a good interpretation of modern civilisation’: popular theatre and the social imaginary in Ghana, 1946–66

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

Catherine M. Cole
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Résumé

Le théâtre populaire à l'ouest de l'Afrique est de plus en plus le sujet de livres théoriques. Cependant, ce qui n'a pas été encore examiné dans cette littérature sont les changements historiques aussi bien au sein de traditions théatrales particulières que dans leurs rapports avec la société en général. Cet article commence à adresser cette lacune en se concentrant sur le parti concertiste ghanéen dans les années explosives entre la fin de la deuxième guerre mondiale et les premières années de l'indépendance. Pendant cette période, le parti concertiste ghanéen avait subit des transformations profondes en ce qui concerne sa forme, son contenu, et ses modes de production et de consommation. A travers leur mobilité et leur large popularité les partis concertistes avaient participé directement à la transformation de la conscience publique. Tout autant que la presse populaire avait joué un rôle central dans la formation du nationalisme européen, le théâtre ambulant populaire avait joué un role pivotant parmi une population pour la plupart illéttrée durant la transition entre le colonialisme et l'état nation moderne au Ghana. Cet article interprète les conventions génériques à travers lesquelles le parti concertiste avait rassemblé et constitué son nouveau public. En dèploy ant une gamme éclectique de techniques officielles pour dramatiser les réaltiés journalières, les partis concertistes étaient devenu un mécanisme intégratif principal à travers lequel les publics avaient négotié une période historique tumultueuse.

Type
Ghanaians at the mirror
Information
Africa , Volume 67 , Issue 3: Audiences in action , July 1997 , pp. 363 - 388
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1997

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