UoN SHINES AT KENYA NATIONAL DRAMA AND FILM FESTIVAL 2023

The University of Nairobi Travelling Theatre (UNTT) got the opportunity to participate in this year’s Kenya National Drama and Film Festival which was held in Mombasa county, Shimo La Tewa School and Shanzu Technical College. For the first time, UNTT partnered with Modern Artist University Of Nairobi (MAUN) Kikuyu campus to represent the school in the festival. This partnership proved to be successful artistically as both groups were able to integrate to achieve success for the school.

The team registered a total of thirteen stage items across the nine categories and eight film items across the eight categories making it a total of twenty-one. This was twice of what our competitors could produce. Out of the twenty-one items fifteen of them managed a podium finish. The University of Nairobi was crowned the most prolific University for the quality and uniqueness of the items and exemplary execution of roles by the performers. The Last Genesis an English play scripted by Dr. SP Otieno won the best item of the festival. The play swept all the awards in the play’s categories which include: The Best Director- Bartholomew Nyagonchong’a, Best Actor- George Githinji, Runners up- Brandon Karoli, 1 st Runners up- Caleb Palsam and Deborah Chelangat and Jennifer Martha sweeping the best actress and runners up. The play was nominated showcase at the gala and also got an invite to the winners concert which will be held at the Kenya National Theatre at a future date.

The Rope,another winning item is a poem performed by George Githinji and written by Bartholomew Nyagonchong’a was recognized as the best solo verse. Drowning at Sea, a dance scripted by Fardowsa Omar and choreographed by Dennis Magero was awarded the adjudicators award in the modern dance category for it’s uniqueness. The dance deployed the use of contemporary dance techniques, ballet, Jazz and African dance. The dance was also awarded the best music composition in the festival.

Riswa,  a cultural creative dance came third in the cultural creative dance category was an amazing Luhya cultural dance that emphasizes on the benefits of agriculture. The Calabash an English choral also was awarded the best English Dramatized Choral Verse. Papa’s bottle a mime by Mercy Akeyo was runners up and Mercy Akeyo was awarded the best actress in the Mime Category.

In the world of film, The University dominated across all the categories our Feature film -2face, Documentary- Oath Of The Ancients. Directed by Mr. Gitonga Mwangi were dominant in the category. Fame,  a poem written by Nyokabi Kirubi and Directed by Evans Obare won the best screen solo verse as Tales Of The Street spoken word by Boniface Ndiba won the best Screen Spoken word.