It’s a rare night of fairy tales at Russian Centre

A LOVELY night and people gathered at the RussianTanzanian Cultural Centre in Dar es Salaam to witness a stage drama from a Russian fairy tale, Emelya, and the Pike, performed by the Tanzania theatre group Watashi.

Before the Watashi characters performed the drama, a man appeared on the stage wearing a face mask to hide his identity as a person and features to establish another being.

This essential characteristic of hiding and revealing personalities or moods pulled the audience’s attention, who remained attentive to witness what the man in the mask sets to perform on the stage. In a minute, the audience stays shocked as they realise the man on stage is performing magic tricks.

“Incredible,” the audience whispered as the magicians performed several tricks on the stage; the magician held a cloth in his right hand and in a minute, the fabric colour changed as he swiped the material to his left hand.

He performed the trick four times to clear the audience’s doubts that he had not fooled them but proved his devotion to mastering the art of illusion is genuine.

The audience was more impressed with his acts when he showed a cloth, the audience on both sides spotted it. Then after a shake, the fabric disappeared.

The show was spectacular, with no words from the magician, just an act. A magician wowed the audience with another act when he filled a bottle with a liquid and made the liquid vanish in a few moments.

The audience was amazed again after seeing the magician recovers the vanished drink from its bottle.

On the stage performed, more acts followed before the stage drama, but the magician act was a quiet exception. After the preliminary acts, the Watashi group came on the stage to do an act of Emelya and the Pike, which they renamed Emelya and the Magic Pike. Before the drama was to begin on the stage appeared, the drama Director Samson Tarimo warmly welcomed his audience.

He noted, “It is such an honour to have you all at this play; this is our second audience after we first held at Bagamoyo Arts and Cultural Institute (TaSUBA) during the 41st Bagamoyo International of Arts and Culture. Our first reception was fruitful, as the play saw an attendance of over 2000 people.” After the brief welcome, the drama commenced with the key light illuminating the stage, coloured with a background melody for the scene, bringing excitement to the audience.

The play began with a tale once upon a time, an older man with three sons lived two clever young men and the third, Emelya a fool.

The two elder brothers had travelled for work while Emelya lay on the stove ledge all day long with no care in the world. When the brothers rode away, their wives asked Emelya to fetch some water and Emelya lying on the stove ledge, replied: “Not I. I don’t want to.” Because he liked presents, the wives told him, “Go Emelya or your brothers will bring no presents for you from the market.” Emelya therefore decided to go in return to win a present. Down climbed Emelya from the stove, put on his shirt went to the river.

At the river, he met a magic fish and wanted to keep it for his feast, but the magic fish convinced him not to take him for a meal but grant him any wish he wanted. Emelya commanded the Pike, “I want my pails to go home without spilling a drop of water.” “Very well, Emelya,” the Pike said, “Whenever you wish something, you have only to say:” ‘By the will of the Pike, do as I like’ and it will do at once.” Knowing he could do all by the will of the Pike, he did a lot and scarily the villagers. Finally, the information reached the King and he called on him.

When an officer went and attempted to use force on him, he made a wish to the Pike to beat him and out of the cudgel jumped and hit the officer so that it was all he could do to drag himself back to the Palace.

But after a noble went and convinced Emelya with presents and food, Emelya agreed and went to the Palace where he met the Princess and fell in love with her.

Emelya seeing he could not get the Princess, commanded the Pike, “By the will of the Pike, do as I like! Let the King’s daughter fall in love with me.” The Princess once fell in love with Emelya and cried for him.

The King seeing Emelya, won her daughter’s heart, he attempted to kill both. However, the King failed, as the will of the Pike saved Emelya. In the end, peace prevailed and the King accepted Emelya as his son in-law. At the end of the play, the drama director lauded the Russian House administration for having the opportunity to perform at the Russian House.

“It is such a privilege to perform at the Russian House. We are grateful for the opportunity to stage our talents, for we have prepared for about a month. “The story is written for children to learn from Emelya’s life experience and the luck he got from the magic fish that made all his wishes come true.

In addition, the story explains his relationship with the princess and the challenges he had to endure after the king disapproved of their relationship and attempted to kill him. Yet, despite the obstacles he passed on, he survived.”