Schools and Colleges Drama and Film Festival kicks off with inspiring performances
Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama and Film Festival in Mombasa showcased a persuasive play titled ‘Scent of the Crescent’, written and directed by Amakobe Kevin and Dahalan Maruzuku, which presents a positive message for children suffering from genetic diseases.
The play revolves around Tunu, a teenage girl born with sickle cell disease, who aspires to become a painter. Despite the misconceptions and myths around her disease, Tunu and her mother, Shamira, hope to find a cure for her with modern science, which is opposed by her father, Mr Kahindi, who believes in traditional medicine.
With the help of Tunu’s personal doctor, Dr Pendo, the family finally performs the first stem transplant in the country, defeating sickle cell disease. The play ends on a positive note as Tunu wins a continental arts competition and is awarded a three-month scholarship at the University of Stanford in Canada, realizing her dreams.
The play’s emotive and amusing language made the story an enjoyable watch and left the audience with hope. Ng’iya Girls wowed the audience with their creative Cultural Dance ‘Verakodhee’ choreographed by Elisha Otieno, which pits protagonists Atieno and Verakodhee against each other.
The dance depicts Atieno, a girl bored with her studies, who opts to watch TV, encounters her favourite role model Verakothe, and is punished by her father. Atieno runs away from home to meet Verakothe, who is a drug addict. The dance ends with Atieno learning about Verakothe’s addiction, indicating the consequences of such behaviours.
Mwalewa Girls Secondary School presented a creative cultural dance titled ‘Qatar’ that gives a ray of hope to Kenyans, especially women from the coast, who take up menial jobs in the Middle East. The dance depicts Mbodze, a girl from a poor family, who passes her exams but cannot fulfil her dream of becoming a pilot due to lack of school fees.
She turns to prostitution to make a living, and her mother goes to Qatar as a labourer to support her. With her earnings, Mbodze goes back to high school, then to university, and graduates with First Class honours in aeronautical Engineering.
Eldoret School for the Hearing Impaired presented a dance called ‘Toto’, directed by Benjamin Kiptarus, which moves the audience with the journey of a young girl with a hearing disability. With encouragement from parents and teachers, she learns house chores and does well in school.
Kisumu Day School presented ‘Alama ya a tatanishi’, a depiction of how success turns into a curse when the society begins having unrealistic expectations from the bearer of the success.
The Kenya Schools and Colleges Drama and Film Festival is an excellent platform for students to showcase their talents and creativity, share positive messages, and inspire others.
Schools and Colleges Drama and Film Festival kicks off with inspiring performances