Theatre producer disputes claims of declining quality in Kenyan theatre

A Kenyan theatre performance in the past/FILE

A theatre producer has pushed back against claims that the quality of productions in Kenyan theatres is on the decline.

Tash Mitambo argued that, instead, the industry is undergoing a quiet transformation driven by experimentation and emerging performance styles.

Mitambo, an alumnus of The Producers Academy, said he strongly disagreed with remarks made by Ian Mbugua, the chairman of the jury at the 5th edition of the Kenya Theatre Awards (KTA).

Mbugua, popularly known as Judge Ian, recently expressed concern that despite the jury watching more performances in 2025 compared to 2024, there was a general decline in the quality of productions.

On the question of whether Kenyan theatre is losing its edge, Mitambo said he “would beg to disagree,” insisting that what is being perceived as a decline is actually a shift in creative expression.

“There is a silent uprising in the industry as thespians try out new forms of production to attract the ever slippery Kenyan audience while making their marks in the books of Kenyan theatre. We look forward to seeing what surprises the 6th edition of KTA will have for us,” he said.

Mitambo noted that Mbugua’s comments amounted to a sweeping indictment of the industry, particularly at a time when several major award categories were dropped from the 5th edition of the Kenya Theatre Awards.

Among the shelved categories were Best Musical Production, Best Actor and Actress in a Musical Production, Best Learning Institution—which traditionally recognises colleges—and Best Stand-up Comedy Show.

He further pointed out that one of the reasons given for removing the categories was the low number of entries, which, according to organisers, would have made it unfair for a single production to compete against itself.

“Some producers had also requested for reasons best known to them, not to be included in the awards,” Mitambo said.

The changes saw the number of award categories drop from 36 in the 4th edition to 29 in the current edition, all of which are open to public voting.

Speakers at a Kenyan theatre/HANDOUT

Nominees for the 5th edition of the Kenya Theatre Awards were unveiled on January 29, 2026, at the Kenya National Theatre.

Mitambo argued that the jury will need to broaden its scope in future editions to capture the evolving nature of Kenyan theatre, noting that more creatives are gravitating towards unguided or experimental works.

“There is a silent uprising in the industry as thespians try out new forms of production to attract the ever slippery Kenyan audience while making their marks in the books of Kenyan theatre,” he reiterated.

“We look forward to seeing what surprises the 6th edition of KTA will have for us,” he added.

He also highlighted emerging theatre trends that he said were not sufficiently acknowledged in the jury’s assessment.

According to Mitambo, many upcoming producers are moving away from conventional theatre formats and exploring alternative styles that are yet to be recognised by the Kenya Theatre Awards.

Among these new or previously unexplored forms are Digital Theatre by Alacoque Ntome, Applied Theatre by Vitalis Waweru, and Street Theatre by Thuita Mwangi.

Another genre yet to be fully acknowledged at the awards is Applied Theatre, which Mitambo said has been widely used within communities under labels such as Theatre for Development (TFD) and Theatre for Education (TFE).

He maintained that recognising such forms would present a more accurate picture of the industry’s growth rather than framing it as a decline.