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Synopsis of Counter Mission

The libretto opens with songs being rendered, as the villagers, men and women dance to the stage, with the Chief Priest and his acolyte also dancing to the stage with coronation resources. This is the first movement in the libretto, which signifies the coronation ceremony of Adigun, one of the two princes the village. Just as the coronation ceremony of Adigun is about to begin, his brother, the real and undisputed heir to the throne, Akinoye, burst in onto the scene with the sole intention of stopping the coronation ceremony, but his intentions were flouted by the guards who stopped him, beat him to a pulp when he proved stubborn and dragged him away from the coronation ceremony, which went on without no further hiccups. It was established by librettist in the tableaux scene that Adigun and Akinoye while asleep, had their spirit conjured to the spirit world by the witches in the village, who gave them both a chance at becoming King of the Village if only any of them agreed to sacrifice twins to them. Akinoye having a good heart refuses to sacrifice twins to the witches just so he could become King, while Adigun his younger brother joyfully agreed to the terms and conditions offered by the witches. Immediately Adigun became King, he began sacrificing twins to the witches, which throws the whole village into a state of hullabaloo. Apparently, it was not until the twin babies of Abike and Akanni were taken forcefully away from them by the King’s guards that commotion started in the village. Abike and Akanni, goes to the palace to see the King to show their disagreement with the action of the king to take away their twin babies, only to find the chiefs already in a disagreement dance with the King already, they also decided to join, begging the chiefs to beg the king on their behalf to release their twin babies. Just then, the witches arrive, and with their help, King Adigun renders the chiefs mentally incapacitated; he then gesticulated and turns them around one after the other to his delight. Adigun then hands over Abike and Akanni twins to the witches, and together he and the hypnotized chiefs do their agreement dance, while the witches depart. Meanwhile, as Abike and Akanni hold unto the king and chiefs for their babies, the King signal to his guards to beat up the couple. The village under the rule of Adigun, became a fearful place to live in, especially after what transpired during the ‘Orisa Ibeji’ festival, where the witches appeared and took away one set of newly born twins each, which dumbfounded everyone including the King, and commotion began in the village, with some villagers coming alongside Abike and Akanni to protest against the actions and the rule of King Adigun, with the chief Priest warning the King that a sacrifice should be made in other to ask for forgiveness from the gods of the land, which king Adigun agreed to. Meanwhile, due to the trauma Abike faced over the ‘loss’ of her twin babies, she went mad, and it took only the eating of the sacrifice offered to the gods of the land by the chief priest before she eventually became cured. After her sanity, she confronted the witches, challenged them to a dance duel which she wins and makes the witches go mad, with King Adigun going paralysed since his power was linked to the witches. The villagers, the chiefs and chief priest then decided it was time they crowned the rightful heir to the throne Akinoye.

Genre of Counter Mission

The genre which perfectly suits counter mission is Melodrama. Melodrama is a distinct form of drama popular throughout the nineteenth century that emphasized action and spectacular effects and used music to heighten the dramatic mood. Melodrama had stock characters and clearly deﬁned villains and heroes. More generally, the term is applied to any dramatic play that presents an unambiguous confrontation between good and evil. Characterization in melodramatic stage productions are often shallow and stereotypical, and because the moral conflict is externalized, action and violence are prominent, usually culminating in a happy ending meant to demonstrate the eventual triumph of good.

Characterization in Counter Mission

The libretto is made up of many character categorized under Major and Minor characters the minor character are the market women, villagers, village maidens, Queen, Witches and some chiefs but the Major characters will be analysed below.

AKINOYE The most prominent character in the libretto. A thirty five year old man, the first prince and rightful 	heir to the throne. A vibrant and honest man who is ready to take responsibilities for claiming his 	right, not minding the surrounding circumstances and the reparations of his action. He is also a 	talented dancer.

ADIGUN A major character in the dance theatre production of counter mission. A thirty (30) year Old man, 	the second prince. He is greedy selfish and self-centered, he is a character ready to go miles just to 	attain power, not putting considerations the looming danger. He possesses great skills in dancing .he 	was made king by the choice of the witches.

WITCHES In their mid-thirties, they are the controlling force in the town, (through the metaphysical power, 	they decide who the king would be, that is someone who is ready to do their bidding). They all 	possess great skills in dancing.

PRIEST In his sixties, he is also referred to as agents of restoring peace and serenity to the village.

AKANNI A young and strong man, He is 37 years. He is a man of bravery and of great courage,  	he   happens to be the husband of Abike. He possess great dancing skills

CHEIFS All within the age of 55-60 (fifty-five to sixty).

QUEEN Within the age range of 25-27, young beautiful. She is royal, young and beautiful. The 	character of the queen is a round character, which is not really involved in the dance theatre 	production of counter mission.

QUEEN MAIDENS These characters are minor characters, and between the ages of 19-24. They attends to their queen, 	this can be observed in the when the queen goes into labour, they all run quickly to assist her, while 	few of them run out to call the mid-wives.

MID-WIVES These characters are stereotypical characters, whose only purpose and objectives throughout the dance theatre production of counter mission is to deliver babies for mothers who are due to give birth. They are old characters, between the ages of 55-65.