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The Asokwa Municipal Assembly Cultural Director, Emmanuel Jewel Peprah Mensah, who is also a Theatre Expert and a postgraduate student pursuing his MPhil in African Art and Culture at the Department of Painting and Sculpture, KNUST, has taken on the task of revitalizing the museum experience in Ghana through the implementation of a Museum Theatre Project.
His case study for this project is the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum at the Centre for National Culture, Kumasi.
According to Mr Peprah Mensah, the Museum Theatre Project aims to bring Ghana’s rich historical narratives and artifacts to life in Ghanaian museums, monuments, and other heritage sites.
He explained that Museum Theatre is an innovative concept that has not been widely utilized in Ghana, unlike in Europe, the United States, and some African countries.
Mr Peprah Mensah described ‘Museum Theatre’ as a concept that employs theatrical techniques, drama, and theater to interpret historical objects, histories, and exhibits for educational, informative, and entertainment purposes.
He emphasized that this concept is typically performed by professional actors with the support of a well-trained production team and theatre experts.
During his presentation at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, he focused on one item in the museum, the ‘Linguistic Staff,’ which represents the Akan Clan Systems and their totems, including Aduana, Ekuona, Asona, Agona, Bretuo, Asakyiri, Oyoko, and Asene.
He wrote a script based on the selected artifact and, with the assistance of Daniel Yaw Acheampong, directed the performance.
This innovative approach aims to enhance visitors’ understanding of the historical accounts and narratives associated with the Linguist Staff artifact at the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, going beyond traditional verbal interpretation and providing a more engaging and interactive experience.
Speaking to the media after the theatrical production, Mr Peprah Mensah intimated that “everyone loves a good story. Through storytelling and theatrical performances, we can get our message across more clearly and in a more engaging manner. It is also common knowledge that nobody can tell your story better than you, and this applies to the Ghanaian creative industry today, as no one can tell Ghanaian historical narratives like the legendary Yaa Asantewaa, Okomfo Anokye, the Golden Stool and Dr Kwame Nkrumah better than Ghanaians.”
According to Mr Peprah Mensah, this concept is also an economically viable venture. He indicated that apart from the experiential learning benefits, if the museum theatre concept is adequately leveraged on by the many tourist attractions and destinations in Ghana, the concept can increase the attendance of local and international tourists to the heritage sites, enhance revenue generation since tourists will have to pay a fee to access the performance, and also bring in foreign exchange earnings to the country.
The researcher and theatre expert expressed his gratitude to the individuals and organizations who supported his project and made it a success, including the Feyiasehene Nana Addae Gyamera, the Member of Parliament for Bantama and Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye, and the Director of Alliance Française.
He added: “I call on Nananom to promote and sustain this innovative concept, allowing the cherished and rich culture of Asanteman, in particular, to benefit from it.”
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