Outer Gaea Company presents a dark tale that sets out to question colonial legacy in Africa

James Scotland

What is your vision for Outer Gaea Company?
A theatre company founded by actors for actors, producing world-class theatre for a global audience.

How did the idea for The Ballerina first come about?
The writer Anne-Sophie Marie keeps that a close-knit secret as it's a spoiler for those who haven't seen the play, but where my particular production is concerned, I've overlaid the concept of Antonin Artaud's Theatre of Cruelty. Artaud was a French theatre practitioner who used certain elements to assault the audience sensorily, encouraging a reaction more physiological than intellectual. I want to communicate what I believe to be this inherent language of violence that is ubiquitous. Recent events have certainly given The Ballerina urgency for me. The tragic assassination of Jamal Khashoggi is but one example.

How would you sum up the premise?
The Ballerina is set in an un-named French-speaking African nation, where Colin Clutterbuck, a British diplomat, is arrested by the National Intelligence Agency for her involvement in stoking civil unrest. What follows is an interrogation conducted by the Director of National Intelligence, Pacifique Muamba, sending a sharp and clear signal that Colin's British passport won't be enough to save her. Though unexpectedly, good old British banter eases tensions where otherwise the instinct towards violence could easily go unchecked.

What questions does it raise about colonial legacy today?
The play demands that we question what our own expectations are of nations that have either been living under the auspices of post-colonial imperialism or indeed those who were made to fight among themselves for their survival by those same post-colonial powers.

What's next for this play, and for the company?
We aim to programme a European and US tour and ensure that the way we tell The Ballerina is befitting of the true vibrancy of the narrative. For the company, we’re developing on a race-flipped version of Shakespeare's Othello set in a world of black-supremacy where slavery as we know it never happened.

Edward Nkom

Describe your character in The Ballerina?
Pacifique is not your generic interrogator in military slacks or practical clothing for torturing. He has a taste in fashion, classical music and ballet as well as a palette for fine food. However, he still gets his hands dirty if he has to. Being a victim of the system, he turned his wheel of fortune until it put him into a position of power beyond reproach. Due to his psychological means of torture, Pacifique brings a sinister and dark layer of violence that one would not expect if they spent an afternoon with him.

Why is it important for you to be part of this production?
As an actor, I love to tell and create stories that are accessible and experimental. Also being a Nigerian man who lived there for a few years, I feel a connection to the words on the page of this play. I bring that authentic experience to the driving seat of the monster and put my foot to the pedal, exploring the wonders and capabilities of Pacifique. Beyond that, it's a great play which has stoked a creative fire in me and I hope to pour it all into this story.

What theatre experience do you hope to deliver to audiences?
As it is a dark comedy, I want the audience to sit in the middle of the world that we have created, to feel uneasy in the moments of truth but also to laugh out loud at the moments of comedy. If there were to be a message to take away, it would be to think about your own moral principles. The Ballerina is a play that rings true of the times we are living in and exposes the flaws of the political system. In a world that is full of distractions, cancel culture and convenience, what do you stand for? What makes you complicit? Are you really a believer in human rights or is it only for your convenience?