SABA SABA
Eric Wainaina - Book, Lyrics and Music
Saba Saba is an ensemble piece that tells multiple stories revolving around a bunch of football fans who are frustrated about the performance of their team, a drunk first lady who cannot deal with her husband's corrupt office, and a vigilante gang who understand that money is power.
And then there's Mohamed whose boda boda gets confiscated by a traffic cop. His plea to get his boda back becomes a national cry and sets the nation on the path of revolution.
Inspired by the events that led up to the Arab Spring, Saba Saba is the story of how a singular event in a corrupt state galvanizes the anger of a nation and sets them on a path for a people-led uprising
Writer & Composer Profile
Eric Wainaina, Writer & Composer
He has released five studio albums, "Sawa Sawa," "Twende Twende," "Love and Protest" and "Dreams In Stereo." However, it all began with the release of "Daima Kenya" in 2001. He has a long-standing career in musical theatre.
In 2004, he wrote and co-starred in "Mo Faya," a 21-piece musical theatre showcase inspired by the legend of Lwanda Magere, a mythical warrior in Luo folklore. The musical was staged for 8 weeks in Nairobi before a national tour spanning 52 shows. It was then selected for performance at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2009.
In 2004, he wrote and co-starred in "Mo Faya." The musical was staged at the GoDown Arts Centre, Nairobi, before being selected for performance at the New York Musical Theatre Festival in 2009.
In 2010, he wrote and produced the music for "Tinga Tinga Tales." The programme was later adapted into a musical and presented at the New Victory Theatre on Broadway in New York in October 2018.
In 2016, he established The Nairobi Musical Theatre Initiative with Sundance dramaturg Roberta Levitow to offer African artists new and alternative models for creating musicals. The initiative has catalyzed the creation of 11 Kenyan musicals.