Tings Happened
The rising oil conflict in Nigeria has stirred much protest within the past years. Oil companies such as Chevron, Shell, and Exxon have been indirectly supporting war between the Nigerian government and their citizens. A brilliant young actor was able to convey this issue on to the stage. Tings Dey Happen, written and performed by Dan Hoyle, was a simple play that was able to capture the heart of the suffering and revolt of the Nigerian people.
Dan was a Fulbright Scholar who went to Nigeria to study oil politics. He went on a tumultuous and eventful journey to meet with oil company executives, Nigerian militants, politicians, and even prostitutes. After seeing their actions and hearing what they had to say, Dan realized that their opinions were unanimous on one issue; oil companies are destroying Nigeria and war will prevail unless something is done.
The performance bursted with dozens of unique and humorous characters. Dan Hoyle played them all! He was able to capture the personalities, accents, and body positions of each character. Being in the audience, I was able to feel the energy radiating off of him as he switched from a brave Nigerian fighter to a rich Scottish businessman. During the 90 minute run time of the play, Hoyle took no breaks. He performed boldly, taking only three sips of water between his endless running and screaming around the stage. During many of his rousing moments, the audience was able to see the veins protruding through his neck and head.
The stage set up was simple, too simple. There wasn’t much except a chair and a rectangular box serving for multiple purposes. The entire stage was black and the only color came from the actor, the dust, and the lighting. There were no costumes, no backdrop, and no props, only sounds. Although I commend Hoyle for being clever with his use of the stage, I felt that it was too bland to fully feel as if I was in Nigeria.
Throughout the play there was much room for humor. There were many points in the play when the audience would simply burst into laughter. Hoyle made jokes about NYC, white man’s supposed depression, and our infamous dancing skills. This brightened up the play and made it more enjoyable for the audience. Behind the humor, there was a more serious note. Hoyle made clear how impoverished and dangerous Nigeria was. He made kidnappings and murders seem part of everyday life. Shedding light on the hardships of the Nigerian people, Hoyle hoped to invoke sympathy and support in the fight against the oil companies.
“Tings Dey Happen” was nothing short of extraordinary. It shed light on the conflict between oil companies and Nigeria and provided a glance into the lives of the Nigerian people. The one-man performance was a melting pot of acting brilliance, concrete memorization, and vocal endurance. The script was designed beautifully, encompassing both humor and gravity. Even though the stage was not an eye-pleaser, it was able to direct attention on the actor and his movements. Dan Hoyle outdid himself and will be highly praised for this piece of work.