A few words about your artistic career
I started out as an amateur actor in a community theatre group in Mombasa. A series of theatre training courses sparked my interest in becoming a full-time theatre practitioner. Over the years I have gained experience as an actor, radio artist, theatre trainer and now theatre director.
How long have you been an artist?
I've been an artist for 19 years. 14 years as an artist and trainer, 5 years as a stage director.
Why did you apply for this scholarship? How will the scholarship support you?
Since the start of Covid-19, I've been trying to work on my theatre projects, to no avail; balancing the meagre resources available has not borne fruit.
My planned broadcasts have been cancelled, resulting in a loss of revenue.
This grant will help me financially to look for and create work without worrying about my next meal.
What are your concrete artistic objectives after this residency?
1. Demonstrate how fusing poetry, musical dance and theatre can be used to amplify the voices of the voiceless (children).
2. Explore how theatre can be digitised using audio podcasts.
What did you achieve during this creative residency? What is the result (work created)? Who was involved in the creative process?
During the 'Creativity is Life' residency, I managed to create a podcast called MY DAD IS A LIAR. I created 4 episodes. I intend to create more stories for the podcast beyond the residency period. The podcast is a compilation of children's stories about the lies their parents and guardians tell them. Parents who have spent a lot of time with their children because of the Covid pandemic learn that their lies have been uncovered and what their children think about it.
The aim of the podcast is to remind parents of the need to help create a better future for their children by telling the truth and being honest. I researched and recorded real-life stories. I then recreated and scripted the content for this podcast.
How do you think these activities help us to think about the world today, in relation to the COVID-19 crisis, and/or about building for the future?
The key idea behind the "My Dad is a Liar" project is that children express themselves in different ways. During this pandemic, most families have had to face up to realities that were hidden. People spent so much time together; mothers spent time with their children; fathers were present in many homes for the first time. This has led parents to learn and think more about what their children are capable of, especially when it comes to discovering information that is hidden from them.
This podcast is a reminder and a call to parents to be honest with their children if they expect a better future for them. This podcast seeks to raise a generation of honest people by advocating for parents and guardians to be truthful so that children can emulate honesty as a virtue.
How did you feel during the residency? And afterwards?
I experienced a cocktail of feelings during the residency. Our way of working was disrupted and I felt like I was learning the ropes all over again. I felt like I was in a cage, especially during the research phase. I would have preferred to meet people in person, but that wasn't possible due to movement restrictions and very few friends would have been comfortable with a physical meeting.
Working from home was a challenge, but it was also a wonderful opportunity to be close to my wife and children and to be inspired by them. My son was born during my residency, which added to the joy of the job.
Most of the recording studios in Mombasa were closed due to the effects of the pandemic and the few available were too expensive. Nevertheless, I was able to record my work in the home studio of a producer who had moved his studio into his living room.
[(My Dad is a Liar )]
[Listen to the trailer->https://anchor.fm/john-wasonga/episodes/Trailer-eivaoc
]
Listen to the podcast :
