“Lets Take A Ride To Nigeria”
Dan Hoyle, a talented and masterful actor and writer, juggles the job of undertaking the role of every character in the play “Tings Dey Happen”. The mixed expressions across the faces of the audience sitting in the quaint theater seats showed that some appreciated the genuine art that was being portrayed by the creative actor, while there were others who did not seem to appreciate the performance as much. If you looked carefully enough, you could even catch a few heads drooping down, as the prospectors seemed to have been brought to a slumber. However, despite these few viewers, who seem to lack a taste for story telling, the rest of the audience seemed to be riveted by the powerful performance from the single actor on that stage. Dan Hoyle performed superbly and brought the theater to a standstill as a he captured the audience with his canny ability to tell a story.
In the ninety-minute monologue by Mr. Hoyle, emotions such as anger and sympathy are evoked from the audience. As the narrator of the play carries the audience through Nigeria, we see not only corruption but also civil strife and poverty. Alongside local wars and poverty are rich oil companies that have rooted themselves into the Nigerian culture and destroyed the livelihood of those that dwell there.
Mr. Hoyle leaves no voice unheard in his play. He even attempts to master the pidgin dialect that resides in Nigeria. This addition is most likely the only distraction that caused some of the audience to lose interest because the dialect is not only hard to follow at times but also constantly changing from character to character.
Mr. Hoyle’s performance is truly unique, bringing bustling eager audiences into the Culture Project. One would say his performance is a triumph to artistic expression.