Witness Uganda at American Repertory Theatre

Did Disney Secretly Produce This? 

by Paige Beede

A country that is rich in culture is not necessarily rich in wealth. A performance that is rich in splendor is not necessarily rich in sophistication. Almost resembling a Disney musical, Witness Uganda was extremely personable, moving and visually appealing, as most Disney productions seem to be with their colorful and cheerful designs. The costume design in Witness Uganda flourished in African culture, as the dancers all wore brightly colored, patterned clothes; and the stage itself was always occupied with a colorful and somewhat realistic set. For example, in the village scene, there was a multitude of color occupying the stage. Bunches of fruit and collections of umbrella-covered carts were all positioned beneath a sheet of corrugated tin roofing, a commonly used material in Ugandan villages. In addition to the props, different pictures were projected onto the back of the stage resembling different settings, making it more clear as to where the scene was taking place.

Collaborating with the visual arts, the choreography in the musical was incredibly lively and cultured. It reminded me of a dance I learned during my African Drumming Workshop on MLK day. The rhythm to the music was up beat and exuberant. The members of the ensemble were usually the only ones dancing, but sometimes the entire cast took part in the dance numbers.

It was pretty effortless when trying to connect with the characters and find the truth in the story line as it was based on Griffin Matthew’s actual journey to Uganda. Griffin played himself as an extremely personable and relatable young adult in his early twenties trying to fit in in the world while at the same time trying to make a difference in the world. Some might see this concept as cliché but the commonality of it created a more comprehensible concept to the eyes of the audience. During Act III of the performance, a time set aside for Q&A, Griffin spoke about his challenge when to trying to recreate the emotions he felt the first time he ever went to Uganda. He explained how he started to feel depressed, as he had to relive this heart-breaking, traumatic journey every time he rehearsed and performed his production. He then explained how he finally figured out how he could use those emotions to fuel his efforts in recreating those feelings from his first time visiting Africa.

The endless struggle in this story in economic difference, sexuality difference, cultural difference, ethnic difference, and the fight between love and death, all fed the audience’s hunger for a show that left you on the edge of your seat the entire performance. At no point did the piece lose its exhilarating momentum, given its energetic music, dancing as well as its cast and characters. Though it is comparable to a Disney production, that aspect stole the audience’s hearts and pulled them through Griffon’s life in and out of Uganda, as witnesses of the bold African culture.