Youth Theatre Creating A Future Public

The beautiful pages of Cameroonian theatre are getting darker and darker, depriving the once vibrant art of its nobility. But one of those initiatives that have sustained the theatre world in the country and continues to keep the audience intact is the “Youth Theatre” which began in 1981. Through the initiative, “Bobbo and Mangetou” have become a famous youth theatre performance in Cameroon. Hence, those who used to watch “Bobbo and Mangetou” when it started in 1981 are now parents and bringing their children to watch them on stage.
The Artistic Director of African Theatre Festival For Children and Young People, Etoundi Zeyang, says he started the youth theatre initiative at a time theatre acting was dwindling in the country, especially as there was nothing for kids in the world of theatre. “Given the potential of theatre in the development of children, it was important and a necessity to initiate that project for our kids. After many years, I have come to understand that we were not in the wrong path”, Etoundi Zeyang explains. He also added that the “Youth Theatre” project has permitted children develop creative thinking and has encouraged many to pursue a career in theatre arts. According to Mr Etoundi, through a good theatre piece and good actors, the love for theatre acting has been planted in some children as a profession. This is the case with kids in the generation when “Bobbo and Mangetou” started. 
FATEJ, which is one of the permanent African festivals during which theatre pieces from the continent are presented at the international level have been ongoing in the country to keep the audience intact.  Mr Etoundi says FATEJ, which usually host t...