Theatre as Memory Media?

By Suzyika Nyimbili

Memory as an area of study is pretty new to me. Though I have thought about concepts of memory, I never really thought about it in terms of an actual field of study. When I saw that there would be a course on memory, I knew I had to sign up for it. The course, "Understanding Memory Media: Image, Material Culture, and Space" is what I am taking now. Its has helped me better understand this area of study and put into context some of the things I already know from back home. I must note that some of the classes have been on what would be strange for a person that is not familiar with this area of study. One of the classes we had was in a grave yard. Strange as it may sound to some people, it was an insightful class looking at commemoration and communication. Following that class, we got back to class the following week and discussed memory of the dead focusing on rituals, space, monuments and material culture. 

From our classes so far, we have discussed how memory works. We have discussed the concept of memory as involving collecting, storing and then retrieving. The interesting thing is that this does not just apply to the individual, that is, individual memory. A whole society, for instance, might have some sort of memory. . So, besides the individual memory, there are concepts of collective memory, social memory and cultural memory. These ideas and concepts have been discussed in depth by scholars such as  Maurice Halbwachs and Aby Warburg from the 1920s as per our discussions in class. 

In my study of memory, I have been thinking about my own work back home in Zambia. I have been wondering if at all my work as a playwright who is particularly interested in writing historical plays could fall under the concept of memory. Being an interdisciplinary area of study, that is, memory studies, history is one of those areas of study connected to memory studies. In our class on Memory as Communication, we considered the ideas of Peter Burke on history as social memory. If we somewhat agree, that history can be considered as social memory, could historical plays then fall under some  sort of memory? or is the play itself not memory but what is being portrayed in it can be memory? These are some of the questions that arise in my head as I consider theatre as memory. 

I got to lean that there are plays that are referred to as as memory plays. According to Wade Bradford, a memory play is "A play that focuses on the past as narrated by the main character. Usually, the play is a dramatic representation of the playwright's life—or at least loosely based upon the playwright's experiences". 

Cover of a book that caught my eye. 

Memory theatre could fall under individual memory. Could it then mean the institutionalized history or local history or any other form of history that can be recreated on stage could somewhat fall in a category of memory? And if so, could theatre, as performance, not the building, be a tool in memory? I am beginning to think it could though I clearly need to read more about the concept. My work in as a playwright boarders on work that is not in the mainstream curriculum or knowledge that is openly discussed and debated. One of the plays that I have done focus on the life of a woman call Lenshina. 

Hub Theatre Porduction of Lenshina: The Uprising 

Lenshina led a church of over 150000 members at its peak in prior to Zambia's independence. Before 1965, in Zambia, this was an extremely large number. All the other denominations, when combined  including those those led by missionaries didnt not  have such numbers. Before independence, Lenshina and her follows came into conflict with the government which led to conflict between her and her follows and the government and the United National Independence Party. Following the conflict, over 700 people were killed and thousands displaced and made to flee their homes. 

A scene from Lenshina's play showing some people who were shot down

For a long time, this was not discussed and its discussion even now brings a lot of suspicion. Its not covered in the school curriculum except at University. These are the types of stories I write about and bring on stage to provoke somewhat "undesired" discussion and memory. Does that in any way meet the standards of memory in the auspices of memory studies? Well, I am not sure but its something I am keep to understand and read about more and maybe, get to write about as a chapter in my thesis. You can read one review of the play here. 

There are others who have written and performed plays about how for instance the ethnic groups who now live in Zambia moved from present Democratic Republic of Congo and settled in Zambia. Others have written about traumatic experiences of the apartheid regime experiences in South Africa giving the written record a a more vivid portrayal. Does all this qualify to be referred to as memory media? maybe, or maybe not.