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Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

Disadvantages of black box stage
The following are weaknesses of a black box stage:
(a) It is not suitable for large theatre productions: The black box stage does
not support large productions because the stage and space for the audience
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are too small. Thus, it may not be cost effective, if the effort invested to
prepare the performance is huge, but a turn out of the audience expected
to view the performance is small.

(b) Inexperienced performers may feel embarrassed. The placement of seats
very close to the audience. This can make inexperienced performers to
feel uncomfortable to perform before the audience.

(c) It does not allow elaborative scenery: Since the stage is movable, it
can be placed anywhere while the complex set cannot be implemented.
However, it takes limited scenery set up and design.

(d) Equipment may be damaged: Since seats, curtains, ceiling, lighting and
sound equipment are all movable, they may be damaged in the setting
process. Thus, performers and production crew need to be careful while
creating the set.

Mobile stage

In this type of stage, performers deliver the same or closely related performances
in different locations at different times in the same day. This stage is common in
many parts of Africa, including Tanzania. In Western theatre, the mobile stage
resembles the wagon stage. Unlike a proscenium stage in which performers
perform in a fixed area, in a mobile stage, performers perform as they move from
one place to another and when they find a reasonable audience they stop and the

performance resumes. In Tanzania, Kibena of Bena, Mdundiko of Zaramo, Beni
and Ndege from Zanzibar are commonly performed in this type of stage. Figure
3.16 shows performers performing in a mobile stage.

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