A new generation of theatre makers is redefining African storytelling by creating experiences that are more immersive, participatory, and culturally enduring. Among the emerging voices leading this movement is Nigerian creative producer and theatre practitioner Tobenna Amechi, founder of Wise Creations and its performance arm, Wise Productions. Through a growing body of work, Amechi is helping to shape a movement centred on community-driven African storytelling experiences that preserve cultural memory while embracing contemporary performance styles.
Amechi’s Journey in Independent Theatre
Over the years, Amechi and his collaborators have staged productions including Sometime in May, Ikechi’s Covenant, and Things We Left Unsaid — projects that explored the realities of producing independent theatre within Nigeria’s increasingly difficult cultural funding environment. Reflecting on the experience, Amechi said independent theatre quickly teaches practitioners resilience. “One thing independent theatre teaches you very quickly is resilience. You learn how to build even when resources are limited, because the stories themselves still deserve to exist,” he said.
Innovative Formats and Cultural Memory
Rather than retreating in the face of financial and logistical challenges, Wise Productions began experimenting with smaller-scale theatrical formats focused on intimacy, participation, and cultural memory. That creative evolution eventually led to the development of An Evening of Kwagh-hir, an immersive storytelling experience currently in development in Lagos. According to Amechi, the project draws inspiration from the Tiv concept of “Kwagh-hir,” traditionally associated with magic, performance, and communal storytelling traditions. Although rooted in Tiv cultural philosophy, the production also incorporates broader African oral traditions, especially Igbo and Yoruba folklore.
From Beach to Studio: Adapting the Vision
The experience combines live storytelling, traditional games, craft-making, audience participation, and performative interaction within a studio setting. Amechi explained that the work was originally conceived years ago as Tales by Moonlight on the Beach, an outdoor storytelling concept intended for a Lagos beachfront. However, infrastructural redevelopment later rendered the original location inaccessible. Instead of abandoning the idea, the creative team redesigned the experience for a more intimate setting inside Wise Studios. “What initially felt like a limitation eventually became an opportunity to create something more immersive and emotionally connected,” Amechi noted.
Redefining Audience Engagement
Unlike conventional proscenium theatre that positions audiences as passive observers, Kwagh-hir seeks to recreate the communal atmosphere traditionally associated with African storytelling gatherings, where audience participation forms part of the narrative itself. The project also reflects the collaborative spirit driving Nigeria’s independent arts sector. Among those contributing to the adaptation of the production for the studio environment is Production Assistant, Oluwatimilehin Helen Olaniyan. Others involved include Izunna Amechi and Omobolaji Omodudu, who contributed to audience experience development, visual documentation, and production sourcing. Ifeoluwa Omolade Ogunsanya currently oversees digital promotion and audience engagement alongside Olaniyan, while storytellers Patrick Diabuah and Titilayo Sanni are expected to guide audiences through the production’s narrative experience.
A Broader Shift in African Performance
The emergence of productions such as Kwagh-hir reflects a broader shift within contemporary African performance practice, especially among younger theatre makers exploring immersive and interdisciplinary formats outside traditional institutional theatre structures. As funding constraints continue to affect independent creative spaces across Nigeria, Amechi observed that many practitioners are increasingly embracing smaller audience-centred experiences that prioritise cultural connection, accessibility, and sustainability over scale.
Future Plans and Global Reach
With the debut edition scheduled to hold physically in Lagos, Wise Productions has also expressed interest in developing future hybrid and digitally accessible editions capable of reaching international audiences in the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. For Amechi and his collaborators, the project represents more than entertainment. “Our interest is not simply theatre for entertainment. It is about creating spaces where African memory, storytelling traditions, and communal experiences can continue evolving within contemporary society,” he said.
Resilience and Innovation in Independent Arts
At a time when many independent arts initiatives face persistent structural uncertainty, projects like Kwagh-hir continue to demonstrate how emerging African creatives are building new cultural experiences through innovation, collaboration, and resilience.
