Entertainment Angolan style

Voilà, some of the highlights of the past few days in Luanda.

On Sunday night we went to Njinga Mbandi theatre downtown to watch a comedy “Quanto pior melhor” (The worse the better). Márcio faithfully served as my simultaneous interpreter when I couldn't understand what was going on. The story revolved around a married couple living in one of Luanda’s slums, struggling to make ends meet as the husband squanders the little money they have on drinks. The experience was very different from watching a drama comedy in Europe or in the States. There was a lot more improvisation and spontaneity on stage- a freedom that automatically transferred itself from the actors to the audience. The spectators interacted by making loud funny comments here and there, laughing, and having small conversations among themselves all throughout the play. It created a chilled atmosphere that left me feeling more relaxed and amused than when I am usually leaving a drama theater back home. There the code of conduct is to mostly stay the quiet observer, apart from an occasional laughter or interaction at the actors' invitation. Watching Angolan drama was a welcomed refreshment to the more uptight European tradition I've grew up with.

I made a similar observation in the movie theater last night. Compared to going to watch a movie in Slovakia, the Angolans are much more free to voice their opinion there and then about whatever is happening on the screen. It was the same last year in Zambia when we went to watch Think Like a Man. While Slovaks would find it disturbing when people are talking loud during a movie, here it’s an almost obligatory behavior. I personally appreciate the African “interactive” style better. After all, we shouldn’t be passive, silent consumers of the entertainment we chose to watch.

And talking about entertainment... Who says you can't get entertained in a cab? 

This is something I've only seen in one cab so far, but I can say that the TV won't make me look for it again. Although I did get to watch an authentic Angolan freelance army movie while driving through the jammed roads of afternoon Luanda, it left me feeling super dizzy and hence unimpressed. But the times are hard for cab drivers and you gotta go out of your way to please the customer. Even if that means cramming a 35-inch into your vehicle.