The Gods are Not to BlameIn this play the theme of Sopocles' Oedipus Rex is skillfully transplanted to African soil. King Odewale's progress towards knowledge of the murder and incest that must be expiated before his kingdom can be restored to ealth is unfolded with a dramatic intensity heightened by the richness of the play's Nigerian setting. It had its first performance in Nigeria at the Ife Festival of the Arts in 1968, has since been staged with great success in other West African countries, and was awarded the first prize in the African Arts/Arts d'Afrique playwriting contest in 1969. |
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Common terms and phrases
ABERO ABURO ADEBISI ADEROPO AGIDI AKILAPA ALAKA BABA FAKUNLE baby bedroom bedsharer blind bat blood BODYGUARDS boil BOKINI brother bush calabash child cool cowries curse dance death drink drop dead drum Enter OJUOLA Exit eyes farm father former King GBONKA gods greeting hand head herbs highness husband Igbo Ijekun Ijekun-Yemoja Ikolu Ile-Ife Ilorin Ipetu iroko killed King Adetusa KING ODEWALE kneel LABATA land of Kutuje laughing Lights fade listen lord madman marry master matchet Mbo mbo mother murderer Odediran ODEWALE'S VOICE OGUN PRIEST Ogundele Ola Rotimi Olurombi oracle Orunmila Oshogbo OYEYEMI peace place where three pray Priest of Ogun prostrating QUEEN OJUOLA ROYAL BARD Sango Scorpion SECOND CHIEF SECOND WOMAN Seer shrine sickness silent sleep soothsayer swear talk tell THIRD CHIEF three footpaths meet TOWNSPEOPLE tribe wait wife Yoruba