Latif Abubakar partners Italian Embassy on “ The License”

Latif Abubakar (right) with Madam Daniela d’Orlandi launching the play

Renowned Ghanaian playwright, Latif Abubakar, has partnered the Italian Embassy on the adaptation of an Italian play, “The License,” by Italian dramatist, novelist and poet, Luigi Pirandello.

The play explores themes of bureaucracy, absurdity, and an individual’s struggle against oppressive systems.

“The License” was first published in a newspaper in 1911, and later adapted into a theatrical work, appearing on stage in 1917 in a Sicilian adaptation.

The play which is being adapted into an Afrocentric version for the first time by the playwright, and his team at Globe Productions Limited would show at the Accra International Conference Center on May 4-6, 2024.

At the Launch of the play in Accra, last Tuesday, Mr Abubakar said, the team remained committed to projecting Ghana’s theatre industry to the world, and as such, hoped to deepen the Italy-Ghana relationship beyond traditional trade to arts and culture.

“This partnership, like the others we have, would once again set our country on another world stage,” he added.

He said as pacesetters of virtual live play on COVID-19 with a record 3.5 million live views, and credited with hosting one of Africa’s biggest theatrical ventures; The Second Coming of Nkrumah, with over 500 cast and crew which created about a 1000 direct and indirect jobs, their dreams and passion of projecting Ghana’s theatre industry beyond the country and continent remained a reality with the launch of this play.

Touching on a series of familiar Pirandellian tropes, Mr Abubakar said the play speaks to the author’s realist interest in representing the actual ways in which law and social custom combine to limit or define the horizons of life for individuals, who were subject to the law.

“Our journey with the Embassy of Italy has been a sturdy work in progress, and we are deliberate about putting in stronger efforts for the mutual benefits of both parties and countries,” he added.

The Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Madam Daniela d’Orlandi, said the partnership with Ghana and the Globe Productions Limited marked a milestone in the history of Italy in theatre.

“This partnership will lead to a journey together of more creativity and support for the Ghanaian theatre and Italy; and we hope to lead by example for other countries to do same in order to support the Ghanaian theatre,” she said.

BY VIVIAN ARTHUR