Igweagu Blessing Ngozi, a screen and stage actress talks to Perekeme Odon about the Independence play production of Ola Rotimi's Hopes Of The Living Dead, produced and directed by Ovunda Ihunwo, which will take place on October 1, 2021, at The Arena Event Center, GRA, Port Harcourt.

Blessing, who is playing the character, Hannah will mix creativity and creative metamorphosis as she performs on the same stage alongside a few renowned and skilled Nigerian movie actors.

Read excerpts of the interview below.

ODON: Which state are you from?

Blessing: I am from Enugu State, Nigeria.

ODON: What are your educational qualifications?

Blessing: I obtained my First School Leaving Certificate at Otto Primary School, Ebute-Metta. I later went to Mainland Senior High School, Lagos state and then obtained a BACHELOR OF ARTS degree in Theatre and Film Studies at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

ODON: As a kid, what did you want to become when you grow up?

Blessing: I have always liked acting since childhood. I always participated in children drama and recitations in the church so when it was time for me to leave for the University, it was only natural that my choice of study was Theatre and Film Studies.

ODON: How long have you been an actor?

Blessing: I would say I have been an actor for about 20 years. I started acting as a child from the church in the children’s theatre department and then went on to study theatre and films studies at the University. I have also been in numerous stage plays, featured in movies and TV shows.

ODON: Can you remember your first stage/theatre production?

Blessing: My first stage/theatre was a play titled Deacon Dick. This was during my pre-degree programme at the University of Port Harcourt

ODON: What attracted you to begin a career as an actor?

Blessing: Growing up, my mother always watched a lot of Nollywood movies. Seeing how those actors kept them entertained made me more certain about picking up acting as a career.

ODON: The play, Hopes of The Living Dead is based on the true-life story of Ikoli Harcourt Whyte. Written by Ola Rotimi and directed by Ovunda Ihunwo. How prepared are you to mount the stage come October 1, 2021, at The Arena Event Center, GRA Port Harcourt?

Blessing: Very prepared but still thinking of ways to make my character more unique.

ODON: Did you audition for the role, Hannah?

Blessing: Yes I auditioned for the role of Hannah, and was cast by the director among another potential cast. Though there is a double for the role.

ODON: How inspirational is the role of Hannah in Ola Rotimi’s Hopes of the Living Dead, as directed by Ovunda Ihunwo to you?

Blessing: The Director, Dr Ovunda Ihunwo, portrayed the role of Hannah to be very inspirational by showcasing how she stood up for the inmate when the matron was trying to treat them like people of no importance just because they were living with leprosy.

ODON: Diction means both choices of words and vocal expression or enunciation. This play set in the pre-independence years during the Lepers' Rebellion of 1928 -32 illustrates the struggle of the characters to attain a right to exist and live in dignity in society. The use of language situated within a historical context clearly depicts this struggle in the context of an inter-relationship between leadership and followership. How do you plan to achieve that?

Blessing: I consulted native speakers of some of the Nigerian languages of the South-South to learn basic conversations in their native dialects. There are instances where my character chooses to express herself in one or more of these dialects.

ODON: Symbolism is a literary device used in writing, which stands for, suggests, or means something different. The Court Clerk symbolizes or represents Solomon in the Bible, and Ikoli Harcourt Whyte represents Moses. What does Hannah symbolize?

Blessing: Hannah in this context symbolizes Esther. Hannah stood up for the inmates, she defended the inmates when the hospital matron saw them as a nuisance because they had leprosy and just as Esther in the bible, Hannah advocated and stood up for her people.

ODON: What steps do you take to fully understand the importance of your character to the story, Hopes of The Living Dead?

Blessing: First by reading the script and understanding the script, then understanding the role of Hannah in the play, knowing the character motivation like why Hannah reacted the way she did to the matron, also the situation surrounding the character.

ODON: Do you believe the play depicts what we face in the real-life Nigeria of today?

Blessing: Yes I do, looking at how the government treats its citizens not caring if they live or die.

ODON: What acting techniques do you use to create a believable character?

Blessing: I use Sanford Meissner’s technique, which is “truthful acting”, making each scene look believable and Stanislavsky’s method which is “emotional memory”. In my own case, what I understand by this is that the audience has to believe your character and the emotions being expressed to them.

ODON: How do you prefer theatre acting to film?

Blessing: Both goes for me, though acting on stage is a bit more tedious with immense pressure and expectation to deliver a character expertly. You have to attend multiple rehearsals in order to get used to the stage geography and also rehearsing constantly to get used to the exaggerated expressions and Familiarizing with other characters.

ODON: Have you progressed in your acting career as you have expected?

Blessing: I have made progress but I am not where I wish to be yet.

ODON: How different is it to act in a movie and to act in a theatre play?

Blessing: Theatre requires intense vocalization and the characters are to an extent exaggerated to pass on the emotions and atmosphere to the audience. This is not present in movie making.

ODON: Which has been your favourite character that you have performed on stage?

Blessing: The character of ihuoma in Elechi Amadi’s Concubine, directed by Dr. ovunda Ihunwo for Rivers at 50.

ODON: Have you any concerns with the director that you have to work yourself over and over again?

Blessing: I always work with Dr Ovunda Ihunwo who believes in spontaneity and prefers that words be pronounced correctly. So I try as much as possible to make each scene believable and often research the correct pronunciation even before going for a general script reading.

ODON: What has been your biggest achievement in the field of acting?

Blessing: That would be when my team travelled for competition in Italy “Teresa Pomodoro” and for a festival in Egypt “Cairo International Festival for Contemporary and Experimental Theatre”.

ODON: Mention any special recognition or award that you have received for your acting skills?

Blessing: There is none at the moment, but I am hoping for one soon.

ODON: Give us a few tips to be a successful actor?

Blessing: The first on my list on how to become a successful and better actor is to keep learning, learning from every circumstance, from colleagues, from your director, from movies. This will help you be at the top of your game and get you more contracts. Take on different roles even though they may not be in your comfort zone so as not to be stereotyped.

ODON: How do you rehearse a scene if the other actors you need to interact with within the scene are not available?

Blessing: I imagine that all the other characters are present in my space as I practice.

ODON: How do you react when you receive a negative review about a performance?

Blessing: I reflect upon the comments, consider if the criticisms are constructive and note the areas to be improved upon.

ODON: Whom do you consider to be your acting role model whose career you would like to emulate, and why?

Blessing: My acting role model would be the director Dr Ovunda Ihunwo who I am currently working with on the production Hopes Of The Living, who is also a spontaneous actor.

ODON: What was your longest-running role on stage?

Blessing: The role of Ihuoma in Elechi Amadi’s Concubine.

ODON: How do you feel playing in alongside two Nollywood greats, Francis Duru and Charles Inojie?

Blessing: I feel honoured, being on stage with such great actors. I feel like a dream come true for me.

ODON: Describe your last experience on stage.

Blessing: My last stage experience was in Egypt 2019, the performance was quite tasking and technical to deliver but fulfilling.

ODON: Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Blessing: I see myself in the next five as a well-known actor locally and internationally

ODON: Are you a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), or the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts Practitioners (NANTAP)

Blessing: I am a member of the National Association of Nigerian Theatre Arts practitioners (NANTAP)

ODON: A message to you fans on what to anticipate on the performance of the play, Hopes Of The Living Dead.

Blessing: They should expect an extremely captivating theatrical performance.

ODON: Thanks for your time.

Blessing: You’re highly welcome... Thank you