THE NATIONAL THEATRE IS SUFFERING – Actress Akosua Abdallah

“I think the National Theatre is suffering in the sense that I worked at the theatre. Utilities are very, very high to pay. Electricity is very high. Years ago, as a government institution, it was free. But now, the National Theatre as a facility has to pay utilities and they have to also support and maintain the place,” she stated.

She bemoaned the barrage of criticisms directed at the theatre, stating, “For a very long time the theatre has been hit very hard when it comes to criticisms, et cetera, et cetera. Somebody was complaining that mosquitoes bit him when he was sitting at the National Theatre watching a production. It’s really a difficult situation.”

Abdallah urged for funding from both private and public entities to support the restoration of the theater.

“But after 30 years, I think the National Theatre, like the Kwame Nkrumah Museum, needs money to transform the place. We need to renovate the place all over again. I think this is the time that corporate Ghana or the government itself can come on board to support the theatre,” she said.