Why Kobina Ansah's Play, ‘My Wife-In-Law’ is a Must Watch

With the advent of an avalanche of cinematography products, it is almost rare to find the raw, natural forms of story telling served in their lip-smacking forms. In recent times where technological advancements place movie makers at the top of the scale, stage drama is becoming a thing of the past.

Big heads including the veteran Ebo Whyte, Nii Commey, Sackey Sowah and a few others have had to keep the dream alive. It may be quite a blood-sucking venture to pursue, but we can pat the handful of titans who have kept their chin up in stage drama production. The beauty of the art continues to be a thing much to be desired, perhaps why it's eminent torch bearers are few.

When young playwright Kobina Ansah hinted of his third production, it was as exciting as watching grass grow. Because we knew this grass will effortlessly mature into bags of grains. We knew he had another explosion up his sleeves. Anything coming from Scribe Productions was a sure hit. ‘My Wife-In-Law’ would be a three-cast romantic comedy, it was said. But what they never mentioned was the gravity of creativity to be employed in telling a story with three people.

This show will be expensive, but we will afford. This performance will take forever to watch, but we will be done in two hours. This piece will break a rib and a leg – we don’t mind.

Half a year ago, Kobina had engraved his name for the second time on the tablets of our hearts. Staging his second play, ‘I Want To Sue God’, he had left trails we could trace whenever we wanted to catch up with the dying memories of a memorable drama.

And this month, at his usual best, he serves another cocktail. The title, sounding both obscure and ambiguous is a word play intended for amusement and suspense, perhaps. Just like all others and the ones yet to come, this one will also encapsulate a myriad of well thought-out trifles to give the audience value for their money and time.

The thing about Scribe Production is that the stories they tell have been said elsewhere before, but in their bid to stand out, they complement with a good finesse. From their poets to the actors to the crew, the moves each player of the group makes is as impressive as a basketball dunk from a free-throw line.

I have advertently stalked the playwright on his daily to weekly features admiring his application of wits to. They largely address the common marriage and relationship dilemmas, social issues, religion, politics and what have you.

Coming from a satirist, it is expected of this play to employ humor and exaggerations to ridicule the odds of marriage as an institution in a way that will leave a remarkable morale, eventually. The concept hints of exposing the overly excessive third party infiltration in marriage. Kobina Ansah however isn't predictable in the least.

As an ardent lover of the art and an admirer of creativity, it is unpardonable to miss the showcase of this play. I am hoping to see you there!

‘My Wife-In-Law’ is showing in University of Ghana Business School on 24th September, 2016. See press and posters for more details.