‘Mad Wednesday’ show takes Nakuru by storm

It started as an idle afternoon chat among a few artists at the Nakuru Players Theatre a year ago, but it is now one of the town’s most loved shows.

Dubbed ‘Mad Wednesday,’ the twice monthly show has been the launching pad of many budding artists. It attracts hundreds of theatre lovers out for an evening of fun and laughter.

Before the show came into being, artists would gather under a tree at the theatre grounds to share ideas and practice their creative performances, but they had nowhere to showcase their talent.

Then one of the members came up with the idea of a show, and ‘Mad Wednesday’ was born.

So popular is the event that it now attracts artists and audience from other counties.

“At first it was very hard to get people to attend the show,” says Joseph Gichinga, one of the organisers. “We worked hard, even campaigning for it on social media. It took three months to at least build an audience to appreciate our work.”

CONFIDENCE BOOST

Fast forward one year later and the show now attracts a big number of performers. So big is the demand to perform that organisers are now forced to limit the number of artists in each session. A total of 30 artists are allowed to perform each time, with the show kicking off at 6pm.

The show, according to Gichinga, has helped to boost the confidence of the budding artists, most who lacked stage experience.

“Most artists have much to offer, but lack of stage experience has shattered their dreams. The show has ensured that every artist is occupied as they are expected to perform in the two shows every month,” he added.

The show is sponsored by the Nakuru Players Theatre management. The artists and the audience  do not pay to attend.

Musicians, dancers, stand-up comedians, bands and instrumentalists now have an outlet to showcase their talent. Many of them have secured contracts and permanent jobs.

“We invite people looking for artists to hire. This is like an audition and the best are snapped up,” he added.

A pannel of aged thespians in the theatre act as guides and mentors to the artists. They also ensure that the content in the various performances is suitable for the target audience.

Simon Thuo, also an organiser, says some of the performances have made visits to schools, where a small fee is charged on the students.

“Taking the shows to schools helps to encourage students to love theatre while still in school,” he adds.

Organisers encourage artists to focus their themes on current social issues like family planning and HIV/AIDS.