Reviewed by Kim Choe
Fela Kuti’s story is a remarkable one.
The Nigerian musician pioneered Afrobeat, then spent his life fighting to free post-colonial Nigeria of corruption – all while smoking a truckload of pot.
What’s even more remarkable is that his life and music inspired a musical, which made it onto Broadway, then to London, and now onto the big screen in this screening of a British National Theatre performance. It probably wouldn’t have gotten this far though, were it not for the high profile names who co-produced (read: bankrolled) the Broadway production – Jay-Z, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
All this considered then, it’s no surprise that the music takes centre stage – along with the vibrant Tony Award-winning choreography and costumes. Unfortunately this means that the narrative suffers, and is at times confusing or non-existent. Knowing a little about Kuti’s background helps.
Set in Kuti’s Lagos nightclub The Shrine, the show meanders through significant incidents in his life, including an arrest for drug possession, his failed bid for the Nigerian presidency, and his mother’s death. A bewildering mixture of dialogue, song, voiceover and video just manages to hold the whole thing together.
It’s best to go along expecting a concert rather than a film – if so, you’ll be impressed. Sahr Ngaujah goes all-in as Kuti, in a performance that delivers all the pain and passion of the activist-entertainer-musician to the Olivier Theatre audience, and to the cinemagoers beyond. The musical arrangements capture the defiant spirit of Kuti’s original songs. (Many have spiritual roots, so don’t expect conventional showtunes.) The African dancers shake and swing with such vigour it’s both exhausting and exhilirating.
Fela! translates from stage to screen reasonably well, although the lighting is too dim at times. Its other major flaw is that a cinema screen and sound system simply cannot replicate a theatrical atmosphere, making the 165-minute duration that much harder to bear. The 15-minute prelude by the show band is a nice idea to set the scene, but meant my ice-cream was long gone by the time it started proper.
Arrive late, and don’t be afraid to create your own Broadway experience by singing and clapping along with the on-screen audience.
Three and a half stars.
3 News
Fela!
:: Director / choreographer: Bill T. Jones (Nick Wickham for screen)
:: Starring: Sahr Ngaujah, Paulette Ivory, Melanie Marshall
:: Running Time: 165 mins (includes 20 minute interval)
:: Official site: nationaltheatre.org.uk
