Activity in Accra

Jim teaches at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, so we decided to reserve a room at the new UDS Guest House in Accra for the week. We are here for the annual meeting of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons into which Jim is to be formally inducted (complete with distinguished cap & gown!) as a Fellow at tomorrow's ceremony. While he attends the conference lectures during the day, I enjoy a bit of relaxation at the guest house or peruse the various shops and restaurants on Oxford St. in the Osu section of the city.
This past Sunday afternoon, we were very fortunate to find a performance scheduled at the National Theater, an impressive building constructed by the Republic of China. It was a play called "The Day Dad Came" and was truly a special experience. Basically, the play was a comedy interspersed with occasional songs, that explored the issue of abusive love relationships in a modern setting. It was long (seven or eight acts)! It was sometimes corny. It had one scene in which an old woman turned into an angel surrounded by a cloud of mist. It had religious references, sexual references, and it was most definitely "Ghanaian" in its cultural context. The audience loved it, cheering loudly and laughing throughout the close to three-hour show. Popcorn and free drinks were distributed as we entered. The theater was packed - babies and all - and the periodic crying out of the little ones was nonchalantly tolerated by both actors and spectators. The taking of bows was an absolute delight with each actor performing his or her own style of dance gyration to the music being played along with the shouts and waving of arms in the audience. Finally, the theater manager invited everyone to proceed to the lobby in order to chat with the cast members and have photos taken with them. Unbelievably, the show we saw began at 4 PM with another performance scheduled for 8!