The disciples disband in the woods, each with a sight of the passion from different trails, but before that, closer than you have read or heard was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and other women who shaped major events on that fateful Sabbath.
Followers is a visceral reimagining of the Passion, told through the eyes of five women, trapped in the wrong place at the right time. Forced together, these women must confront what they believe and whether it’s worth dying for.
Set against the backdrop of government crackdowns and religious tension, the play weavestogether ancient narrative with modern Kenyan culture, and addresses contemporary socialissues.
Creative producer, Joy Oww, grants me access to the rehearsal site where the retelling takes finer shape by the second.
Our conversation leaves a long lasting impression that solidifies the intention behind the telling of this particular story. A production founded in empathy with a light that transends through not only the cast but the crew making a creative like me quite benignly envious.
At the centre of this tale are Mama Simon (Nyokabi Macharia), Anna (Foi Wambui), Esther (Eunice Mwabe), Joanna (Lorna Lemi), Claudia (Marianne Nungo) supported by Faiz Francis Ouma (Simon Peter, Judas Iscariot, Barabas), Will Mwangi (Roman Herald), Bril Kenneth (Herald’s Aide), Esther Kazungu and Chemutai Sage (Roman Officials)
The characters above, as Joy points out, experience no sanitation in this tale, but embody raw human impulses and are approached with understanding. Their stories, that have been ignored for years are about to be showcased in not a complex manner as heralded by many, but in a more humane lense.
Their identity found beyond what we know and their arcs amplifying their voices
Followers doesn’t shy away in it’s story patterns resembling today’s world for as you might discover if you think harder, the patterns that dominated 2000 years still shape much now in culture and politics.
In the last minutes of our candid conversation, Joy Oww spells out what she hopes will ring true in the audience hearts as the curtains close;
Everyone has equal access to God, and the arts remain and will forever be important.
Make no mistake, access comes at a cost of deconstruction for these five characters. A testament to the price we pay for transformation, for finding our voices as they do.
Grab your tickets to Followers now here
