On stage: Bocamandja presents "The Island Heritage".
En escena: Bocamandja presenta: "El patrimonio de la isla"
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. March 2022.
Although this project is an open educational resource and, as such, is always a "live work in progress," we have happily arrived at the third phase. The Island Heritage was conceived just before COVID and pandemic times, and it took us more than expected to put all pieces together. Thanks to the Pre-Tenure Faculty Research Support Award from the Research Council, I (Susana Castillo) had the opportunity to travel to Equatorial Guinea during spring break of 2022. It was not easy; COVID test the night before departing from Madrid, three days of quarantine in a hotel, and another COVID test upon my arrival in Malabo. Another COVID test in Malabo before leaving the country was mandatory to make things more complicated. Let's save details and uncountable anecdotes for another time. The beautiful outcome is that we had a week in Malabo to work with Bocamandja, the theater company. Recaredo Boturu, Bocamandja's director, adapted the play and worked with the crew since March.
The group discussion with Bocamandja after the rehearsal.
Actors and actresses shared their opinions about the play, their conflicted emotions the first time they read the screenplay, and how they worked on each character. Bocamandja was eager to hear the entire history behind it and everything about how I found the book and envisaged the whole project. We had a fruitful conversation that helped us better understand the play and the importance of its representation.
This meeting with Bocamandja and the lengthy and joyful conversation at the bar gave me the idea of accompanying the play with a workshop with the audience.
The play will be live on June 24 at the Spanish Cultural Center in Malabo (CCEM) and on July 1 at the Presbyterian Church in Malabo. Presenting the play at the Church with all Fernandinos1 descendants of Mamma Job and Mamma Nichols in the audience is beyond joy. To prepare for this day, during my stay in March 2022, I met with Reverend Daniel and two other members of the Church to talk about the logistics. They were very excited to have Bocamandja representing "The Island Heritage." After our conversation in one room of the school next to the Church, Mr. Cole and Reverend Daniel gave me a tour with some explanations about the service they have every Sunday. I took pictures of the memorial plaques shown below on this page.
Reformed Methodist Church, Equatorial Guinea. “Private School Reverend Rolando Barleycorn.”
The Reformed Methodist Church has a Kindergarten, Elementary, and Secondary School.
“To the Sacred Memory of the Blessed Elizabeth Job.” This memorial plaque is at the Presbyterian Church Reverend Barleycorn in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
In front of Mamma’s Job plaque, there is also another memorial plaque to recognize the work of the British missionary Mr. Matthew H. Barron.
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. June 2022.
Representado por la compañía Bocamandja en Malabo, 24 de junio de 2022.
