Top African BBC plays revealed

By Alice Martin
BBC African Performance

The results of the BBC 2004 African Playwriting Competition are out.

Actress, director, editor, writer.. now judge

Three winners have been selected by this year's judge, Anima Misa Amoah.

"Having been on the other end myself, I appreciate how much effort goes into writing," says Amoah who is a previous competition winner several times over.

"The task of choosing the winning plays has not been easy."

In the end, Amoah chose John Rugoiyo's A Time for Cleansing set in Rwanda as the first prize.

Rwandan truths

It was "refreshing in the way in which it looked at the consequences of genocide and the fact that these consequences go on even after the violence has ended to affect generations", she says.

The play charts a couple's return to their home in Rwanda to visit relatives.

Finally they discover truths about themselves that shake the foundation of their marriage.

Miracle in a toilet

The second prize-winner, Makinwa's Miracle by Nigerian Sefi Atta, Amoah found "absolutely hilarious".

The African Performance team

"It touched on a very important issue - religion with its fake pastors and religious people unable to stick by their own beliefs".

Bisi is a born-again Christian living in a modest district of Lagos.

She has been trying for some time to convince her husband, Makinwa, a mechanic, to join her church, until one-day a miracle occurs!

In third place, Colours by Rory Kilalea, was a "unique play". It was "well-written and well structured".

A monologue, Colours tells the life story of a mixed-race woman in Zimbabwe.

"We can feel her pain. The issue of Aids is touched upon in a way that is totally unexpected and refreshing. She is no angel, but we cannot judge her for being who she is."

Anima Misa Amoah, herself a writer, actor and director, has made an international name for herself through such films as Heritage Africa and Love Brewed in the African Pot, both made in Ghana and screened all over the world.

The African Performance season which includes both commissioned work as well as competition winners begins on 8 April on the BBC World Service.