The Performativity of Technical Elements in Eṣú Oníwà and Alápata Masquerade Festival Performances of Gbọ̀ngán, Ọ̀sun State
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Date
2017
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The Performer: Ilorin Journal of the Performing Arts
Abstract
This study examines the virility of technical elements in Eṣú Oníwà and Alápata masquerade festival performances of Gbọngán, Ọsun State. Through the descriptive research method with the instrument of participant-observation, the performance stance of the technical elements are interrogated within theoretical framework of Sunday Enesi Ododo’s Techno-Cultural Performance Theory (2012). The paper discovers that, the performativity of technical elements enhances the naturalness of the actors (masqueraders) and cognitive sense of audience in the process of socio-cultural constructs of meaning to all the paraphernalia. The paper concludes that these visual objects of aesthetics are not just performance indicators but greatly becomes operational both as separate entities and with performers especially in traditional African theatre context. The study, therefore, recommends that intellectual effort should be made by theatre designers and scholars in performance studies to explore the potentials of technical elements as the enablers of any festival performances to boost our local contents.