Popular Ghanaian actor and playwright, Fiifi Coleman has chided some Ghanaian creatives for only highlighting issues facing the National Theatre during election seasons.
Expressing his concerns on a live X Spaces discussion with Graphic Showbiz, Coleman argued that discussions about theatre often surface mainly for political reasons rather than a genuine concern.
"There are people who are blind and don't see what theatre can do in our society, so it will take time. Let us wait until it's three months to the election, then the conversation on theatre will get the relevant attention," he said.
The actor also criticized the mismanagement of the National Theatre and other creative spaces for events. He questioned the wisdom of investing in new ones without addressing the challenges faced by the current establishments.
"There can only be one National Theatre of Ghana. But, does our national theatre represent us well enough as a country? We need to look at that first before talking about building new ones," Coleman stated.
He urged fellow creatives to value the National Theatre and other existing creative spaces, stating that these spaces would only be appreciated by outsiders if the major stakeholders did so first.
"If we don't place value on it, who would come and do that for us as major stakeholders?" he questioned.
Background
His comments come on the back of a recent protest by workers of the National Theatre on October 7. The workers called for the removal of the Managing Director, Amy Frimpong, accusing her of mismanagement of the company and its funds.
Other stakeholders, including playwrights and event organizers have also voiced their concerns, pointing out the deteriorating state of the National Theatre, calling for the matter to be addressed urgently.
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Actor and playwright, Fiifi Coleman