Three Sisters (Inua Ellams)

This section explores the play Three Sisters by Inua Ellams, focusing on: the structure, setting, staging, characters, themes and the historical and cultural context of the play. Three Sisters (2019) by Inua Ellams is a contemporary reimagining of Anton Chekhov’s classic play Three Sisters. Set in post-colonial Nigeria in the 1960s, it explores the lives of three sisters—Olamide, Ireti, and Kunle—who struggle with their aspirations, the limitations imposed by society, and the complexity of family dynamics. As they confront personal desires, societal expectations, and political upheaval, the play also addresses themes of post-colonial identity, disillusionment, and the clash between tradition and progress.

Structure

• Three Acts: Like its precursor, Ellams’ play follows a three-act structure, which allows for the unfolding of both personal and political tensions. The plot develops through a series of interactions between the sisters and the people around them, leading to an inevitable emotional and social reckoning by the final act.
• Parallel to Chekhov’s Play: While Ellams maintains the core of Chekhov's character-driven narrative, he adapts the setting, cultural dynamics, and historical context to reflect Nigeria in the 1960s. This creates a modern parallel to the original work while exploring new thematic concerns relevant to the post-colonial African experience.
• Flashbacks and Memory: The play integrates flashbacks, using these to deepen the audience’s understanding of the characters' pasts and the emotional weight they carry. These time shifts give insight into their formative experiences and show how the sisters’ history shapes their present struggles.
• Emotional and Political Pacing: The pacing is methodical, focusing on emotional character development, but also gradually increasing the tension as external political and social forces exert pressure on the sisters' lives.

 Setting

• 1960s Post-Colonial Nigeria: The play is set in the decade following Nigeria's independence from British colonial rule. The historical setting provides a rich backdrop for exploring the country's evolving political and social landscape. The post-independence period was marked by instability, economic challenges, and the search for a national identity, all of which are reflected in the characters' struggles and the tension within Nigerian society.
• Family Home: The central setting of the play is the family home where the three sisters live. This space is symbolic of both personal confinement and the wider cultural limitations imposed on the family. It also serves as a place of memory and longing, where the sisters reflect on the past and dream of escape.
• Social and Political Landscape: The setting extends beyond the family home, incorporating the wider Nigerian society during a time of intense political change, including post-independence optimism and the realities of living in a newly independent country. The political unrest and shifting dynamics of Nigerian politics inform the personal choices and conflicts of the characters.

Staging

• Minimalist and Symbolic Set Design: The staging of Three Sisters often uses a minimalist set to focus on the characters and their emotional lives rather than elaborate scenery. The family home may be suggested through basic props or the arrangement of space, highlighting its significance as a site of family history, tension, and nostalgia.
• Lighting and Sound: The play uses lighting and sound to create atmosphere, moving between different emotional tones—from the warmth of familial love to the tension of political unrest. The sound design is particularly effective in creating a sense of the external world, such as the sounds of political rallies or street protests, which filter into the home and heighten the play’s themes of external pressure.
• Character Movement and Blocking: The physical blocking of the characters often reflects their emotional isolation or entrapment. The sisters’ positions on stage can shift as their relationships evolve, representing their emotional and psychological journeys.
• Symbolism: Props such as photographs, traditional artefacts, or newspapers help create a sense of cultural identity and historical context. These items can symbolise the characters' ties to their heritage or their attempts to break free from it.

Historical and Cultural Context

• Post-Colonial Nigeria (1960s): The play is set against the backdrop of Nigeria’s struggle to establish a national identity after gaining independence from Britain in 1960. In the early years of independence, there was a sense of optimism and self-determination, but this soon gave way to political instability, economic hardship, and the looming threat of civil war. The play reflects the tension between traditional Nigerian values and the influence of Western colonial legacies.
• Impact of Colonialism: The legacy of British colonial rule, particularly in shaping the country's political and social systems, is woven throughout the play. The sisters’ lives are shaped by colonialism’s lingering impact, both in the oppressive social structures and in the class divides that still persist within Nigerian society.
• Independence and Identity Crisis: The play explores themes of national identity and the personal search for meaning in the wake of political and social upheaval. The characters grapple with how to reconcile their personal aspirations with the evolving political landscape and the loss of traditional customs in favour of Western ideals.
• Feminism and Gender Roles: The play highlights the role of women in post-colonial Nigerian society, with the sisters questioning their roles within both the family and society. There are strong themes of gender inequality, with the women’s desires and aspirations often stifled by the patriarchal structures of their society.

Characters

• Olamide: The eldest sister, Olamide is a woman burdened with the responsibility of caring for her family. She represents the old generation—tied to tradition and culture, but also filled with regret and disillusionment about the promise of independence. Olamide’s character reflects the tension between responsibility and the desire for personal freedom.
• Ireti: The middle sister, Ireti is a more optimistic and dream-driven character, eager to make something of herself beyond the confines of the family home. She represents the generational shift in Nigeria, where the younger generation is looking to progress, find opportunities, and navigate their own sense of identity in a newly independent Nigeria.
• Kunle: The youngest sister, Kunle is rebellious and idealistic, struggling to find her place in a rapidly changing world. Her character embodies the new generation’s desire for change, a desire to break free from old customs, but also the chaos and uncertainty that often accompanies this pursuit of self-definition.

    Supporting Characters:

• Family Members: Other characters, such as parents or extended family members, may also appear in the play, often representing various views on tradition, family duty, and the pressure of societal expectations.
• Political Figures and Lovers: Characters outside the family, including lovers or political figures, are used to reflect the external societal forces that influence the sisters' decisions and lives.

Themes

• Post-Colonial Identity and Disillusionment: A central theme in the play is the search for identity in the aftermath of colonialism. The sisters are caught between the past (represented by their traditions and customs) and the future (embodied by the new post-colonial nation and its challenges). Their struggles mirror the disillusionment of a generation that has inherited a fractured society, struggling to find purpose and stability.
• Family and Duty: The theme of family is deeply woven into the fabric of the play, as the sisters feel the weight of expectations placed on them. Olamide, in particular, is the caretaker, burdened by the responsibility of preserving familial obligations. This theme is tied to traditional African values around family loyalty and sacrifice.
• Generational Conflict and Change: The play examines the difference in worldview between the older and younger generations, with the older characters like Olamide being more rooted in traditional values, and the younger ones, like Kunle and Ireti, seeking change, independence, and opportunities outside of the family structure.
• Gender and Empowerment: The theme of gender inequality is central, with the women struggling against the constraints placed upon them by society. The play explores how patriarchy shapes their experiences, yet also highlights the resilience and agency of women in the face of these challenges.
• The Burden of the Past: Another important theme is the burden of the past—how the sisters’ histories, shaped by colonialism, family obligations, and personal trauma, influence their current choices. They all seek a future of freedom, but the past continuously haunts them, reflecting the broader societal struggle in post-colonial Africa.
• Political Instability: The backdrop of post-independence Nigeria, with its political upheaval and uncertainty, acts as a metaphor for the emotional turmoil of the characters. The external political forces impacting their lives mirror their internal struggles for meaning, freedom, and purpose.

Summary

Three Sisters by Inua Ellams is a deeply layered and thought-provoking drama that uses the structure and themes of Chekhov’s original work while adapting them to the post-colonial Nigerian context. The play’s exploration of identity, family, gender, and political instability provides a rich canvas for addressing both personal and societal dilemmas. Through its central characters, the play offers a nuanced critique of post-independence.