Footprints Podcast | Season 1 | Episode 19 | A Life in Lines
Our lives, whether we know it or not, follow the structure of Freytag’s Pyramid: ‘exposition, inciting incident, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement.’ In this episode of the Footprints Podcast, Alex Mukulu, a renowned Ugandan playwright, shares his fresh, unhackneyed perspectives and wisdom from his journey as a leader and maestro of theater in Uganda’s performing arts.
Mr. Mukulu, a Ugandan born and bred, narrates fond memories of his childhood in Namutamba village, Mityana, and his inspiration for dramatics. He states that he found himself intrigued by the Rwandans in his neighborhood, exuberant on their paydays, singing and dancing. Or perhaps it simply ‘ran in the family?’ His aunt was a violin player in the Kabaka’s palace (Kabaka is a king in Buganda). Art became his norm as well as his escape window. Mr. Mukulu already had plays written and awards won by the time he attended Namilyango College School. He studied at Kololo Secondary School for his A Level before pursuing film and drama as his majors at Makerere University. Impressively, even then, he had assembled a band of performers, the African Professional Troupe of the Absurd.
Mr. Mukulu is an experienced playwright of four decades, drawing inspiration for his work from his personal experiences, which have included bearing witness to government power transitions resulting from coups, social disintegration, insecurity, and hypocrisy in Uganda. Culture and history are integral to his creative process, and he looks to African writers such as Ngugi Wa Thiong'o, Chinua Achebe, and Camara Laye as role models. To achieve the clarity and openness of his works, Mr. Mukulu approaches his writing with a level head. He avoids expressing his own emotions of anger or disappointment and instead employs metaphors as well as characterization to convey concepts straightforwardly. This approach leaves his works open to discussion and reflection.
According to Mr. Mukulu, his ability to evoke sentiments such as parenthood or loss through his plays has been honed and perfected over time. He elaborates that his specialty in illusive theater is an art he has had to learn and observe with great care. For instance, to create productions like Springs of Tears (which moved him to tears in 1979), he had to channel his emotions and ideas adeptly. The play depicted conflict and hypocrisy within communities, but it was based on a personal and painful experience he had with his friends. Over the years, Mr. Mukulu has created a diverse range of plays, including 30 Years of Bananas (1991), I Killed the Archbishop (1984), and The Guest of Honor (1994). Indeed, the climax in his story is that many of his works were well-received by the public.
Although, despite his achievements, Mr. Mukulu shares the stringent nature of his journey. For one, he does not regard himself as a leader in the arts, but rather as ‘a victim of his talent.’ He acknowledges his milestones along the way but does not forget the sacrifices made and challenges faced to achieve them, such as isolation. He states that he “finds himself alone” as his work is demanding. He narrates that a lot of his time was spent in writing, thinking, and plot development, compared to cultivating his companionships. Regardless, he is proud that he found his purpose as a playwright. He exercises patience and persistence with a strong sense of self-identity to carry out his work. Mr. Mukulu is also humble. He mentions that pride is the downfall of many artists as it causes them to “lose sight of their identity, purpose, and vision.” A lesson to artists as well as leaders.
Sadly, in recent years, Uganda’s theater slowly atrophied. Mr. Mukulu explains that the deterioration in the arts resulted from complacency and failure to evolve within the sector. With globalization, technology, and international issues at hand, theatre in Uganda needed to change, refurbishing alongside reinventing the theatre scene and addressing global concepts rather than limiting the scope to our local contexts. “We must change, or the world will leave us behind,” he says, a hard lesson from the dying arts in his country. He mentions the importance of staying informed to remain relevant even in the face of change. Despite being regarded as a prodigy by many in the field, it's inspiring to see how Mr. Mukulu, in his senior years, remains open to learning and adjustment.
That said, his most recent vision is to revive theater in Uganda, a fitting resolution for his life’s journey. His comeback: “Kulunkalu ne Kulumbisi (Yellow City versus Red Ghetto) is a thought-provoking play inspired by the literary classic Romeo and Juliet, encompassing topics of political as well as social unity. Mr. Mukulu poses the question, “Do you know what you want to die for?” hinting at both the meaning behind the message within his upcoming play and also the essence of purposefulness in our life journeys, whether as leaders or “victims of our talents.”
Mr. Mukulu’s story embodies vital lessons for us all, like the essence of finding our passion, purpose, and vision. His journey is one of hard work and persistence alongside commitment to his cause: creating art while bringing forth enlightenment and education to his country. It also emphasizes the need for humility, not just as artists or leaders, but as individuals. You cannot achieve your vision if you lose sight of who you are. Most importantly, life is about staying relevant; from conception to life’s trials, the resolutions, and finally, the denouement, leaders must stay relevant and purposeful.
Click Here To Listen To His Story: HERE
© Blurb written by Divine Karungi