Dec 09 2009
“I Hold Death In My Pouch. I Cannot Die.”
Like Fela Kuti the man, Fela! the play pushed limits and raised the bar. From the moment you walk in there is an energy in the air that is unexpected and refreshing from a Broadway play. Fela!, as cliche as it sounds, is truly a must-see for everyone from everywhere. Not only is it possibly the most fun you can have on Broadway, but it is also educational in a sneaky way that you don’t notice you’re learning until the performance is half way over >.>
Truly a renaissance man, Fela! was seriously the highlight of the year (even though doing the multimedia projects involved literally no sleep x_x). He was a talented musician, singer, and a well-educated activist. It was also nice to see how one man was so heavily influenced by the women in his life. But it’s a shame that almost none of us had ever heard of him now. He made (I think) as big of an impact in the world as Nelson Mandela, but he seems to exist in obscurity. On the bright side we should be seeing a biopic on him pretty soon. The world could really use more Fela Kutis.
Fela was cool. Not sure I completely understand the concept of “holding death” in his pouch. Maybe it’s just a testament to his persistence in his actions.
I love that quote by Fela: “I hold death in my pouch. I can’t die.” 🙂 He really was a highlight of the year. I was really inspired by his music!
You know it girl. He is definitely a different character and surely commands attention wherever he goes. That is what makes him Fela Kuti. The performance was a direct reflection of his life and was vivacious and engaging.