Energy and ideas explodes in “Fela!” performance

Cue scantily clad Nigerian women, thumping drums, twisting bodies, and popping colors, sights, and sounds at every glance. These are the astonishing details that new Broadway musical “Fela!” uses to transport the audience right into a Nigerian Afrobeat nightclub circa 1978. The Eugene O’Neill Theater, previous home of “Spring Awakening,” is literally unrecognizable, with strings of lights strung everywhere, sheet metal and street art covering all the walls, and cast members milling about the theater as the audience is seated.

Through all the detail, the theater closely resembles The Shrine, the club of Nigerian musician and political dissident Fela Kuti. Writer Jim Lewis and director and choreographer Bill T. Jones set the musical on the last night of The Shrine’s existence. As the night progresses, Kuti (played by Sahr Ngaujah) unfolds the tale of his life and his struggles both as an artist and as a citizen of Nigeria.

In Kuti’s lifetime, he created Afrobeat—a musical style that draws from traditional African music, jazz, and funk—and then subsequently used his music to attack and expose the corrupt Nigerian military government. Kuti aimed to use his music as a weapon and was arrested over 200 times for political rebellion against the Nigerian military government. In his prolific career he produced over 70 albums and garnered many avid American fans. “Fela!” chronicles Kuti’s struggle to find his own musical style, his identity as a Nigerian, and a way to heal his country and be true to his heritage. This show captures Kuti’s spirit and the heart of Africa in an unbelievable, pounding, vibrant theater experience.

Throughout the entire production, the stage pulsates with high-energy dancers in designer Marina Draghici’s traditional African costumes of every color. Antibalas—a Brooklyn-based collective that introduced Afrobeat to a new generation—play directly on stage with boisterous horns and pounding drums. During the show Kuti asks for audience participation. In the first act, he asks the entire audience to stand and teaches his signature dance move, while in the second act he asks everyone to sing along. Kuti makes the audience feel as if they are a part of his music and his struggle. The poignancy of his story and dialogue—directed at the audience throughout the entire production—lend a sense of intimacy to every scene.

A visually stunning production, “Fela!” never has a dull moment. The ensemble performs Bill T. Jones’ fierce and powerful choreography flawlessly. Sahr Ngaujah is absolutely extraordinary. Not only is he an incredible singer and dancer, but his presence on stage is magnanimous. As he speaks, one truly seems to be in the presence of Kuti himself. At times Ngaujah even keeps up a witty banter with the audience that is clearly improvised dialogue.

This play not only has vivacious music, choreography, and scenery, but packs a powerful message, leaving the audience thinking about the effects of violence in our world and the role music can play to change them. The play highlights heavy issues—violence, poverty, and military regimes—that are just as powerful today as they were in 1978. This touching and vibrant profile of Kuti’s life not only chronicles the life of an unforgettable man, but also packs a potent emotional and intellectual message that isn’t easily forgotten.