“Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

“Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o first appeared in TDR: The Drama Review in 1997. This seminal work delves into the intricate relationship between performance, space, and power dynamics, particularly within the context of post-colonial societies. Thiong’o emphasizes how performance spaces are not neutral venues but are inherently tied to the socio-political conditions of their time. The essay is crucial in both literature and literary theory as it extends the analysis of power from textual narratives to performance, exploring how space and theatrical acts become sites of resistance and control. By doing so, Thiong’o bridges the gap between post-colonial critique and performance studies, highlighting the cultural and political implications of storytelling and public expression.

Summary of “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

• The Power Struggle between Art and the State: Ngũgĩ begins by discussing the inherent rivalry between artists and the state, noting that both are involved in a struggle over the control of values and laws represented in performance. He explains, “the war between art and the state is really a struggle between the power of performance in the arts and the performance of power by the state” (p. 11). This conflict becomes even sharper in situations like colonialism, where external forces impose state power.
• Performance Space as a Site of Conflict: Thiong’o illustrates how performance spaces become sites of political contention, especially in colonial settings. He shares the example of the Itulka ceremony, which the British colonial government banned because they saw it as a threat to their authority. He emphasizes that “the performance of Itulka was taken as a challenge to colonial state power” (p. 12).
• The Role of the Audience and Spatial Dynamics: Ngũgĩ emphasizes that performance spaces are never neutral or “empty,” as they are always filled with physical, social, and psychic forces. He writes, “I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage,” but adds, “a performance site is never empty” because of the dynamics between the actors, audience, and space (p. 13). The space itself becomes a site of power struggles and transformation.
• Colonial and Postcolonial Manipulation of Cultural Spaces: Thiong’o discusses how colonial powers, such as the British in Kenya, controlled performance spaces to manipulate cultural narratives. The Kenya National Theatre, built by the colonial government, was primarily used for European performances. Thiong’o recalls the management’s refusal to allow The Trial of Dedan Kimathi to be performed, instead prioritizing Western shows like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (p. 15).
• The Performance of Resistance: Thiong’o’s work at Kamĩrĩĩthũ Community Education and Cultural Centre is cited as an example of reclaiming performance spaces for African voices. He writes about how villagers participated in the play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), transforming their experiences of colonial and postcolonial exploitation into performance (p. 20). This act of reclaiming space was an expression of resistance and a challenge to state power.
• State Repression of Performance Spaces: In contrast to the openness of artistic spaces, the state seeks to confine and control space. Ngũgĩ notes that “the performance space of the artist stands for openness; that of the state, for confinement” (p. 29). The state’s control over public gatherings and performances, particularly in the open air, is a way of limiting potential threats to its authority, as seen in the destruction of the Kamĩrĩĩthũ Open Theatre in 1982 (p. 28).
• Art as a Tool for Liberation: Ngũgĩ concludes that art has the potential to break down barriers and challenge oppressive structures. The politics of performance space are deeply tied to issues of democracy, social justice, and national identity. He suggests that the ultimate struggle over performance space reflects a broader class struggle, where those in power seek to control the narrative and limit the participation of marginalized groups (p. 29).
• Key Quotations from the Article:
• “The war between art and the state is really a struggle between the power of performance in the arts and the performance of power by the state” (p. 11).
• “The performance of Itulka was taken as a challenge to colonial state power” (p. 12).
• “A performance site is never empty” (p. 13).
• “The performance space of the artist stands for openness; that of the state, for confinement” (p. 29).

Literary Terms/Concepts in “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Concept/Literary Device	Explanation
Performance Space	A symbolic and contested site where cultural, political, and artistic performances occur, embodying the dynamics of power.
Enactment of Power	The struggle between artistic expression and state control, particularly in public spaces, highlighting power structures.
Colonialism and Performance	The influence of colonialism on suppressing indigenous performances and controlling cultural expressions.
Censorship	The state’s intervention in restricting artistic performances, as a means to control cultural narratives.
Hegemony	The dominance of colonial or postcolonial elites in dictating cultural practices, often using performance as a tool of power.
Ritual and Ceremony	Cultural practices, such as the Itulka ceremony, used by communities to assert their identity and resist state authority.
Cultural Resistance	The use of performance and theater as tools to challenge colonial and postcolonial repression, expressing societal struggles.
Space as a Political Arena	Performance spaces, whether public or confined, are seen as arenas of struggle between the artist and the state.
Audience as Participants	The relationship between performers and audience, where audiences become active participants in shaping performance outcomes.
Symbolism	The use of symbolic spaces, such as the Kenya National Theatre and Norfolk Hotel, to represent the historical and cultural conflicts.
Conflict of Narratives	The tension between colonial narratives and indigenous cultural representations in performance spaces.
Time and Historical Memory	The interplay of historical context and the use of performance to reflect on the past and envision future societal change.
National Identity	The role of performance in defining and asserting a postcolonial national identity, often in opposition to colonial legacies.
Prison as a Performance Space	The prison is metaphorically portrayed as a performance space where the state enacts its control over individuals.
Exile as a Spatial Metaphor	Exile is depicted as a form of exclusion from the performance space, representing displacement from cultural and national identity.
Resistance through Art	Artistic resistance is portrayed as a means of survival and defiance against the state’s efforts to confine cultural expression.

Contribution of “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o to Literary Theory/Theories

1. Performance as a Site of Power and Resistance
   • Ngũgĩ presents performance spaces as battlegrounds where the power of the state and the artist collide, suggesting that performance is an enactment of power. This adds to performance theory by highlighting the political dynamics involved in artistic performances.
     • “The war between art and the state is really a struggle between the power of performance in the arts and the performance of power by the state—in short, enactments of power.”
2. The Politics of Space in Performance Theory
   • The article emphasizes that space in performance is not neutral but deeply political, influencing who controls cultural narratives. This contributes to spatial theory by exploring how physical locations affect power dynamics in cultural performances.
     • “The main arena of struggle is the performance space: its definition, delimitation, and regulation.”
3. Performance and National Identity in Postcolonial Contexts
   • Ngũgĩ argues that in postcolonial societies, performance becomes a tool for shaping and contesting national identity. This aligns with postcolonial theory by showing how art reflects and resists colonial legacies.
     • “The conflict over the performance space was also a struggle over which cultural symbols and activities would represent the new Kenya.”
4. The Role of History and Memory in Performance
   • Ngũgĩ integrates history into performance theory, arguing that performances are imbued with historical memory and anticipation of future change. This contributes to understanding the temporal dimension of performances.
     • “What memories does the space carry, and what longings might it generate?”
5. Censorship and the Politics of Artistic Expression
   • The article explores how states intervene in artistic expression to control public narratives, contributing to discussions on censorship and the repression of free expression, especially in authoritarian or colonial regimes.
     • “The state’s intervention in the content of the artist’s work—what goes by the name of censorship—but the main arena of struggle is the performance space.”
6. Performance as Cultural and Political Subversion
   • Ngũgĩ portrays performances as acts of subversion in postcolonial contexts, contributing to performance studies by showing how they challenge dominant power structures and act as forms of political resistance.
     • “The performance space becomes a magnetic field of tensions and conflicts.”
7. The State and the Repression of Cultural Spaces
   • The article examines how states, particularly colonial and postcolonial, regulate and restrict cultural spaces to maintain control, adding to the theory of cultural hegemony and repression.
     • “In 1952, when the colonial regime once again acted against the nationwide upsurge of anti-colonial dances and songs, it banned all open-air performances in any part of the country.”
8. Artistic Performance as a Reflection of Class Struggles
   • Ngũgĩ highlights performance spaces as sites where class conflicts are played out, aligning with Marxist literary theory by focusing on how cultural production reflects social inequalities and struggles for control.
     • “Ultimately, the politics of the performance space and its location is a class question.”
9. Prison as a Metaphor for State Control Over Artistic Expression
   • Ngũgĩ extends the concept of performance spaces to prisons, arguing that the state enacts its power by controlling bodies and minds, expanding on Foucauldian theories of surveillance and discipline.
     • “The prison is the enclosure in which the state organizes the use of space and time in such a way as to achieve what Foucault calls docile bodies and hence docile minds.”

Examples of Critiques Through “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Literary Work	Critique through Ngũgĩ’s Theory	Key Ideas from “Enactments of Power”
William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”	“The Tempest” can be critiqued through the lens of colonial power and resistance. Prospero’s control over the island and its inhabitants reflects the colonial state’s regulation of performance spaces, while Caliban’s rebellion can be seen as a form of artistic and political resistance.	“The war between art and the state is really a struggle between the power of performance in the arts and the performance of power by the state—in short, enactments of power.”
Bertolt Brecht’s “The Caucasian Chalk Circle”	Brecht’s play can be critiqued for its depiction of class struggles and how performance acts as a tool for political expression. The use of theatre as a didactic space aligns with Ngũgĩ’s idea of performance as a site for questioning state power.	“Ultimately, the politics of the performance space and its location is a class question. […] The human hand and mind have the entire limitless space and time for their performance of the struggle for human freedom and self-realization.”
Wole Soyinka’s “Death and the King’s Horseman”	Soyinka’s play can be critiqued for its representation of indigenous African performance spaces as contested by colonial authorities. The tension between tradition and colonial rule mirrors Ngũgĩ’s argument about state intervention in cultural practices.	“The state’s intervention in the content of the artist’s work—what goes by the name of censorship—but the main arena of struggle is the performance space.”
Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun”	Hansberry’s portrayal of African American experiences can be critiqued using Ngũgĩ’s concept of space and power. The struggles over housing and space in Chicago reflect the broader political struggle over who controls performance spaces and narratives.	“The politics of the performance space is a complex interplay of the entire field of internal and external relations of these forces in the context of time and history.”

Criticism Against “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o

Representative Quotations from “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
1. “The war between art and the state is really a struggle between the power of performance in the arts and the performance of power by the state—in short, enactments of power.”	This quote encapsulates Ngũgĩ’s main argument that performance spaces are battlegrounds where the state exerts control over people, while artists challenge this control through their performances. It sets up the central theme of art as both a political tool and a site of resistance.
2. “The state performs power, the power of the artist is solely in the performance.”	Ngũgĩ emphasizes the distinction between how the state uses its authority to control, and how artists use performance as their primary mode of power. The state controls through formal institutions, while artists mobilize public consciousness through their creative work.
3. “The performance space is never empty. Bare, yes, open, yes, but never empty.”	This statement suggests that every performance space carries with it historical, social, and political meanings. Even an “empty” stage or space holds significance due to the forces of power and resistance that inhabit it.
4. “The struggle may take the form of the state’s intervention in the content of the artist’s work—what goes by the name of censorship—but the main arena of struggle is the performance space.”	Ngũgĩ identifies censorship as a tool used by the state to control artistic expression but argues that the actual space in which performances occur is the central site of conflict. This highlights the importance of physical space in the politics of performance.
5. “In a colonial situation, performance spaces are among the first sites to be contested as they embody not only cultural but also political and social meanings.”	This quote highlights the colonial context, where performance spaces became symbolic of larger cultural and political struggles. In colonial regimes, the control of performance spaces was often a way to enforce dominance and suppress resistance.
6. “Art breaks down barriers between peoples; the state erects them.”	Ngũgĩ emphasizes the role of art in fostering unity and breaking through the divisions that the state imposes. This contrast underscores his belief in the transformative power of art to challenge oppressive political structures.
7. “The performance space, in its entirety of internal and external factors, may be seen in relationship to time; in terms, that is, of what has gone before—history—and what could follow—the future.”	Ngũgĩ connects performance spaces to historical and future implications, suggesting that performances are not just present moments but are embedded in historical contexts and shape future possibilities.
8. “Prison is the enclosure in which the state organizes the use of space and time in such a way as to achieve docile bodies and, hence, docile minds.”	Here, Ngũgĩ discusses the prison as a metaphor for how the state controls space and time to dominate individuals, shaping their thoughts and actions. It reflects his critique of authoritarian control over both physical and mental freedom.
9. “In postcolonial societies, the politics of the performance space is a complex interplay of forces in the context of time and history.”	This quotation captures Ngũgĩ’s central argument that in postcolonial contexts, performance spaces are where different power dynamics, shaped by history and ongoing struggles, come into play.
10. “There is no performance without a goal. The state’s performance of power over the exits and entrances is about control, while the artist’s performance is about freedom.”	Ngũgĩ contrasts the motivations behind state power and artistic performance: the former seeks to regulate and control, while the latter aims to express freedom and challenge that control. This statement reinforces his theme of art as a site of resistance.

Suggested Readings: “Enactments of Power: The Politics of Performance Space” by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o