PRODUCTION
The Trials of Brother Jero 1973
A satire which takes aim at religious hypocrisy. It focuses on fraudulent Brother Jero and is set in Lagos, Nigeria.
THE PLOT
The Trials of Brother Jero is a light satiric comedy that takes aim at religious hypocrisy in the form of a charlatan, or fraud, named Brother Jero, who preaches to his followers on Bar Beach in Lagos, Nigeria. Jero is a master of manipulation and keeps his followers in a subservient position because he understands what they long for—money, social status, and power—and convinces them that they will soon be able to fulfill these materialistic desires. For their part, they are gullible enough to believe him. The vitality of the rogue Jero makes him a popular figure with audiences, and this rambunctious, humorous play is one of the best-known and most frequently performed of Soyinka’s early works. (encyclopedia.com)
PLAYWRIGHT
Wole Soyinka
PRODUCTION TEAM
Directed by Amadu Maddy, Choreography by Ray McLean, Setting designed by Gerry Small and Jackie Shoultz
For D and L Theatre: Artistic Director/Administrator Frank Cousins, Company Manager Jean Rafferty, Deputy Stage Manager Colin Howells, Secretary Anna Dale, Scenery constructed by Frank Milman, Costumes designed by Amadu Maddy, Executed by Phylis Macdonald, Impact adhesive by COPYDEX, The music performed and recorded by the ASORO PLAYERS (Gordon Tialobi, Emmanuel Jegede and Sunshine Ogunde), the DALABANI masks designed and made by Claude Teyssier, Additional lighting equipment by Theatre Projects Ltd., Armory by Bapty and Co. Ltd and Additional properties kindly loaned by The Nigerian High Commission.
CAST
Frank Cousins, Anni Domingo, Naomi Hussey, Charles Hussey, Jimi Rand, Kay Harrison, Ivan Fraser, Amadu Maddy, Pauline Yamson
UK TOUR VENUES
PROBABLY Dalabani and The Trials of Brother Jero: Venues: Churchill Theatre, Edinburgh (11-13 Oct); West Indian Centre, Manchester (17 Oct); Theatre Royal, Bury St. Edmunds (19-20 Oct); Wyvern Theatre, Swindon (23-24 Oct); Swansea Uni Theatre (29-30 Oct); Chapter Arts Theatre, Cardiff (1-3 Nov); Brighton Uni Theatre (5-7 Nov); Dovecot Theatre, Stockton (8-10 Nov); Adeline Genee Theatre, East Grinstead (week of 28 Nov.). Additionally, the company will be playing in the following schools and colleges: Edgehill College, Ormskirk (8 Oct); Spurley Hey HS, and Plant Hill HS, Manchester (17-18 Oct); Richard Taunton College, Southampton (26 Oct).