Tibi’s Law
by
Jean Verdun, translated by Robert Cohen (with David Carroll)
The
two-character play is set in a cemetery in a small and impoverished
West African village, where the Master of Ceremonies and African
“Sayer,” Tibi by name, conducts his daily funerals
– which are attended by both mourners and foreign tourists,
who have been sent by their travel agents to witness “the
real Africa.” In the course of honoring the dead, consoling
the bereaved and sharing his African predicament with the tourists,
Tibi discovers his long-lost girlfriend, whom he rescues from
her now-abysmal condition.
The
play is translated by Cohen (with David Carroll) from Jean Verdun’s
Mieux que nos pères (Paris: Detrad, 2001). The
world premiere was directed by Cohen at Stages Theatre Center
in Hollywood in 2003, with Saul Williams and Erinn Anova in
the cast; Williams won the L.A. Weekly’s “Best
Male Lead Performance of 2003-2004” for his portrayal
of the title role. Tibi’s Law
has subsequently been produced at the National Theatre of Ghana
(2004), and has been published in Theatre Forum, 2004
and Plays International. Mieux que nos pères
had its French premiere at the Theatre de Troisième Oeil
in Angers in 2005. English-language performance rights are available
from the author.
Review
excerpts
BEST
MALE LEAD PERFORMANCE OF 2003-2004 to Saul Williams
as Tibi. --L.A. Weekly Theatre Award. “PICK
OF THE WEEK!” --L.A. Weekly
“A
rare chance to see the work of a major contemporary French playwright,
Jean Verdun. The result is something of a coup, not only for
Stages but for everyone in Los Angeles who likes provocative
stage work, by turns witty, poetic, satiric, sardonic and heart-rending.
Cohen’s translation and direction are superb, a must-see
production for Los Angeles audiences.” --Lively Arts
“TIBI’S
LAW SHOCKS AUDIENCE. To say that the audience that watched ‘Tibi’s
Law,’ the newest play by Frenchman Jean Verdun, were shocked
would be an understatement. Indeed, they were humbled by the
power of the play. The gravity of the issues Tibi discusses…war,
poverty, refugees and others, hits you with such force that
you cannot help but picture the suffering in your mind’s
eye. --Graphic Showbiz (Ghana)
“A
satirical creation that mocks the present world system…
Beautifully acted… a great theatrical show.” --Accra
Times (Ghana)
“Cohen’s
staging is commendably intense, with an artful sense of intimacy.
The performances are beautifully rendered: Williams’ genial
yet tragic Tibi blends irony, despair and wit, while Anova’s
subtle Mara communicates her suffering with a heartfelt poignancy;
beguiling characters who are richly human and enticingly multidimensional.
--Backstage West
“Staged
with obvious care by Robert Cohen with a committed and charismatic...
cast. Williams' charismatic performance illuminates both the
engaging con man and the sensitive poet residing within Tibi
in a startling clash of theatricality and sobering mortality.”
--Los Angeles Times
“The
performances are powerful and the play is poetic and precise
in its imagery, saying with incredible art what needs to be
out in the world today.” --Artistsnetwork.org
“A
wonderful tale. Actor/poet Saul Williams as "Tibi",
part priest, part King, part Used Car Salesman, salvages hope
and joy in the darkness and guides us comically and tearfully
toward the dawn,” --Afrodecia.com
“A
jarring reminder of the casualties of globalization.”
--Get Underground
Script excerpt (scene 1)
TIBI:
Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming! As your travel
agency has told you: “the most beautiful burials, the
most authentic ones, are those in which Tibi officiates.”
Well, I am Tibi. And you will be satisfied.
Oh,
don’t be afraid! Banish your fears! No one here will
accuse you. You’ve come to attend our burials, and why
not? You’ve paid for them. I certainly won’t accuse
you. I, too, am affronted when they call you “morbid
spectators of poverty and death.” I live off of death.
No, I don’t think you’re morbid. There are people
who delight in slapstick humor, others who love ballets (I
do too!), others who long for clever comedies, and still others
farces that ridicule women – and men who are deceived
by women. But you, tourists, you came here to see and to understand.
Tragedy attracts you! Well, I will give you what you have
come for. Here, everyone says to me: “Make us cry, Tibi!
Make us cry leaden tears! Well, ladies and gentlemen, your
travel agency has not misled you. With Tibi, tears are guaranteed!
