A One-Man Play With Something to Say
photo by Akim Aginsky
“Fasten your seatbelts we are going to Nigeria o!…” These are the words of Sylvanus the good-humored stage manager and occasional narrator, one of many characters played by Dan Hoyle in “Tings Dey Happen,” Mr. Hoyle’s one-man play about the oil conflict in Nigeria. Mr. Hoyle spent time in Nigeria as a Fulbright scholar from 2005-2006 and “Tings Dey Happen” is his written and performed monologue based on this experience. Just as Sylvanus says, the audience is whisked away to Nigeria, where violence and opinions sprout from the common subject of oil politics. The strange thing is that the stage does not change. The bare stage remains the same with Mr. Hoyle standing solo. The audience is now seeing things through the eyes of Mr. Hoyle, the Fulbright scholar, traveling through Nigeria, as Mr. Hoyle the performer, dressed simply in black, portrays the variety of characters to be met on the journey.
The discovery of oil in the Niger Delta during the late 1950s turned the region into a hotspot for conflict involving many players such as war lords, oil companies, the Nigerian government, and gangs. This region is the center of Mr. Hoyle and director Charlie Varon’s play and the characters that are featured offer different views about a variety of topics such as society and politics, with the oil conflict always looming in the background. During the course of the performance, Mr. Hoyle portrays characters ranging from Okosi, the sniper who longs for an education, to Graham, a Scottish man working for Shell. Richard Pryor even makes a lively appearance in a short but memorable scene. Each character in the play has distinct mannerisms and voices. It should be noted that Mr. Hoyle often speaks Pidgin, Nigeria’s lingua franca, when portraying several characters. The use of Pidgin is relatively easy to get accustomed to and enhances rather than weakens the play.
“Tings Dey Happen” is ultimately successful in at least giving the audience a primer on the oil conflict in Nigeria. The play never becomes lecture-like and Mr. Hoyle keeps it balanced by injecting humor, as well as a brief dance routine. Mr. Hoyle’s portrayals are intimate and he maintains his level of commitment and energy throughout the 90 or so minute, intermission-less play. Some may find the play rather lengthy and loaded with characters, but these are minor complaints since Mr. Hoyle is able to both effectively distinguish the characters from each other and keep the audience’s attention with new, pivotal characters and engaging elaborations on the situations of previous characters.
The play challenges the audience to comprehend the situation in Nigeria and never loses its sense of urgency. The many memorable characters and scenes only assist in making the play’s messages stick in the audience’s mind after the conclusion. Even if one is not affected by these messages, he or she cannot deny Mr. Hoyle’s outstanding performance. He has the ability to shift masterfully between characters and is able to convey the scene without the use of props or a complicated set. The fact that there are no costume changes, breaks, or props puts even more pressure on Mr. Hoyle and he delivers with skill and energy.
“Tings Dey Happen” is a unique play that mixes learning, humor, and emotion to form a captivating final product that provides insight into an international concern. The play’s stripped down look clears away any distractions and allows the focus to be directly on the actor and the issues. “Tings Dey Happen” shines due to its combination of provocative subject matter and powerful acting.