November 14, 2003

Camwood On The Leaves in Lower Depths, playwright visits campus

The American premiere of the first play by Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka was the second fall production of Loyola's Department of Drama and Speech. Camwood On The Leaves will run in the Lower Depths Theater through November 15. It is directed by Lane Savadove.

Camwood On The Leaves was written as a radio play in 1955, when the playwright was 19 years old. It was the springboard that launched Soyinka to national and international prominence as a social commentator. In 1986, he became the first African to win the Nobel Prize for literature.

The play addresses a major theme in Nigerian culture: the clash between indigenous religion and Christian colonialism. Soyinka brilliantly attacks these issues with a gorgeous fairytale about a mysteriously pregnant girl and her family's decision to destroy her childhood friend who beckons the dead to protect him.

According to Savadove, "Mr. Soyinka is one of the most important living writers and scholars in the world today. His play is magic, ritual, and biting social commentary rolled into one. It's brilliant. It's an honor and a pleasure to present his first play on our stage, especially tied in with his arrival in New Orleans." A special performance on November 5 was followed by an 8:30 p.m. symposium with the playwright.

Camwood On The Leaves will play in the Lower Depths Theater in the Communications/Music Complex on November 14 and 15 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12 general admission, and $7 for students and seniors. Group rates are available.