Buea’s Ideal Theater Troupe Uses Drama to Tackle Youth Emigration, Anglophone Crisis, Prosperity Gospel

Buea’s youth-led drama group, Ideal Theatre Troupe, captivated audiences with an intense, thought-provoking performance Sunday, March 16, shedding light on pressing socio-political and economic challenges facing Cameroonian and African youth.

Titled “TIA the Crossroads”, the two-hour performance addressed issues like the ongoing Anglophone Crisis, police brutality, prostitution, financial exploitation by churches, and youth emigration.

It ended with a powerful conclusion: Cameroonian youth must take responsibility for shaping their nation rather than seeking an escape abroad.

The play was written by Ade Joseph and directed by Enow Bismack. It featured a dynamic cast of six young actors: Marilyn Andang (Wazi), Buma Clinton (Tazi), Ebad Carine (Lemfone), Ncha Alice (Nene), Melisa White (Yimjong), and Mesode Marion (Sirri).

Five young people carried the body of a fallen youth whose dreams ended abruptly due to a stray bullet as the performance opened.

Placing the corpse on the ground, they sat in mournful silence before Tazi (played by Buma Clinton) broke the quiet to recount the tragic story of his younger sister’s death—killed by a stray bullet as she crossed the road to buy biscuits.

This powerful scene mirrored the experiences of thousands of Anglophone Cameroonians who, for over eight years, have endured the horrors of a violent separatist conflict that has claimed over 6,000 lives since 2017.

The play portrayed the Anglophone Crisis as just one of many struggles, blending spoken word poetry, drama, comedy, and dance seamlessly.

The play also exposed the brutal reality of police and military officers exploiting the Anglophone conflict to intimidate, brutalise, and even kill innocent civilians.

It tackled the mass emigration of young Africans who prefer to die crossing the Mediterranean or the jungles of the Amazon, than to sit back and take responsibility for developing their countries.

Challenging Moral Decay, Religious Exploitation

The play confronted the moral decay in Cameroonian society, questioning religious institutions that determine miracles by the size of one’s pocket.

“TIA is about the current state of the economy, the political state, and the livelihood,” said the director, Enow Bismack.

“We talked about health; we talked about moral decadence; we tried to touch every topic affecting Africans.

“Also, we saw the brain drain and how our labour leaves Africa and goes to Europe. We see our people taking dangerous routes to Europe. Everybody wants to make livelihood, abandon Africa, brain drain, etc. Now when we leave Africa and go to Europe, fix the white man’s land. What do we leave here for our children?” he asked rhetorically.

Beyond Cameroon, “TIA the Crossroads” resonates with challenges faced across Africa.

The play’s themes have gain traction in South Africa, Kenya, and Morocco, where it has been performed in theaters.

Reviving Theater Culture Cameroon

At a time when online skits and movies dominate the entertainment industry, live theatre performances like TIA are rare in Cameroon.

However, the Ideal Theater Troupe, founded in 2014, remains committed to reviving the country’s theatre culture.

Funded primarily by contributions from its members, the troupe organises four major performances annually in Cameroon, attracting dozens, sometimes hundreds, of spectators.

“We are just out to use our talent to revive the theatre culture in Cameroon, to use our talent as a medium for education and entertainment in our community,” said Ade Joseph, a lead member of Ideal Theater Troupe who wrote and co-directed “TIA the Crossroads”.

“We believe that we, as artists, we have a role to play in the development of our community. So basically, that’s what we are out to do,” he added.

Performance with a Lasting Impact

Several audience members, impressed by the troupe’s spirited performance, expressed a desire for more frequent staging of such productions.

“I felt so impressed with not only the performances, not only the message, not only the message, the characters; they were not only acting; they were passing a message,” said Lensman Tim, a Buea-based audiovisual produce who watched the performance. “I must say that I did not only hear the message that they were passing across, but they are stuck in me. And one message I will be taking home is change of mindset.”

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