Shadow of an Eagle: A PlayA domestic drama, in a rural African setting. This play takes the motif of the eagle in Ghanaian mythology/symbolism to explore ideas of ambition, achievement and fulfilment, as individuals may experience for themselves, or as they may desire for others, particularly family members. It further reflects upon how ideas of ambition interact with competing responsibilities presented by the family. In the play, Bimpo leaves home to seek his fortunes elsewhere, but returns. He toys with the idea of supporting his disillusioned alcoholic father, but eventually decides he must pursue his own goals. His sister Sumanta falls pregnant, but her mother forbids her to marry the child's father because she feels he resembles her own husband too much, and she has greater aspirations for her daughter than she had for herself. All the family live in the shadow of their hardworking and successful grandfather, and implicitly constantly fail to live up to his expectations. Shadow of an Eagle was first broadcast on BBC African Theatre in 1969 and is now for the first time widely available outside Ghana. |
Common terms and phrases
aspirations that brings baby is asleep baby to bed baby's father baby's food back home back to sea backyard best for Sumanta BILL MARSHALL BIMPO BIMPO laughing BIMPO'S shoulder BIMPO[laughing breast milk brings satisfaction brother buy some materials chickens child clock coconut trees dear mamma drawer drink drunk eagle enters BIMPO'S bedroom everything is going farm FATHER singing feed the baby front door gave him twenty gave twenty pounds gives the baby grandpa died harmonica hear the baby Hello Hope and Desire insult kitchen lilies little Prince Urchin living-room MOHTER Mother Nature natural as brushing occasional indulgence Okoreba Ooooh pigs play by Bill playing Grandpa's Lullaby pretty remember Scent my waters Sedco shadow sleep stage right stop stranger born SUMANTA enters SUMANTA off stage SUMANTA returning SUMANTA softly SUMANTA[softly sweet roses tell told want to talk waters with sweet