THE BIG PARTY

Edidem Eyamba is a wealthy man, he has four wives and fifteen daughters. But he is unhappy because he has no son to succeed him. A competition is held to determine who will cook the food that will make the king well and also be the mother of his son. Ifiok, an orphan, decides to try her luck by cooking Edikang Ikong Soup for the King.

First published in 1976, this play from one of Africa’s foremost dramatists is in the classic cannon. It is an incisive examination of the problems of independence and freedom in post-colonial Africa states, where few believe they have a stake in the future. In the words of one of the characters: “It was better while we waited. Now we have nothing to look forward to. We have killed our past and are busy killing our future.” Francis Imbuga is a playwright and actor. He is the recipient of the Kenya National Academy of Sciences Distinguished Professional Award in Play Writing