Theatre Review by Nana Yaw Sarpong

TITLE: Beauty and the Beast
WRITTEN BY: Linda Wolverton
ADAPTED AND DIRECTED BY: Nicholas S.D. Asante
VENUE: Efua T. Sutherland Drama Studio
DATE: 11th – 14th February, 2010.
TIME: 7.30p.m.

It is a story with an all too familiar plot: an accursed prince turned to beast principally because he was unkind and disrespectful to an enchantress gets back his human form after slowly falling in love with the beautiful Belle whom he had taken earlier as slave. But what the "Beauty and the Beast" cast and crew enacted on the stage at the Efua T. Sutherland Drama Studio at the University of Ghana was more than just a love story. A play superbly laced with exquisite dance forms — not only is the strange steps of British ballroom dance made simple to a local audience but also the intricate moves of adowa brings forth a rare freshness to the performance.

An article by Obed Sarpong

Without doubt, I have lived the larger part of my life in Ghana. Aside this country of about 23 million human beings -- good people and those who for one unreasonable reason or the other do evil -- I have only dared to step out of the artificial boundaries in West Africa, Africa, for only once. My story is not special compared to the over 200 million people who occupy just Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria. Those who live close to the borders naturally have two nationalities -- not the paper document legitimising this -- but that they experience two or more cultures, without pausing to think of any shocks, shocks that anyone from without their sphere would experience.

A short story by Martin Egblewogbe

In what language will the final judgment be conducted?

English, because everyone has to understand what is said.

However, God, of infinite capabilities, would have no problems even if the entire proceedings were in Latin, which, for romantic purposes, would have been the preferred language. But for the sake of the poor souls theregathered, English.