Societal Problems and Alternative Solutions: A Fabulous Reading of Abdullahi Abubakar's Next Time

Abstract

Over the years, playwrights and critics have employed various theories to the representation and interpretation of different societal ills in drama texts. These theories range from realism, naturalism, social-realism and the epic theatre traditions, some of which sprung from such theories like Expressionism, Formalism, Marxism and Feminism. While societal issues persist, these interpretative models have continued to evolve. This paper employs the fabulous theatre theory which incorporates various dramatic aesthetics in the evaluation of societal ills as portrayed in Abubakar’s play, Next Time. The analysis revealed the unending oppression, injustice and inequity that pervade the human society. The play also showed that societal problems can only be resolved through evolutionary measures that seek to redress social and moral decadence in contemporary Nigerian society. The paper thus concludes that the fabulous theatre provides an alternative theoretical model to revolutionary and materialist dialectics.