Derrick Amunga’s legacy lives on

Derrick Amunga and Angel Waruinge in a past theatrical performance. File 

By Margaretta wa Gacheru

In Summary

He was an actor who literally lit up a stage, whether he played a waiter, househelp or crooked conman.

Derrick Amunga was the sort of actor that gave the public so much pleasure that I, for one, wouldn’t want to miss a single production that he was in. One of the finest and funniest physical comedians in Kenya, his performances invariably made the crowds go wild with laughter.

 

He had a special gift; yet he remained humble, approachable and consistently disciplined as an actor and director, no matter whether he was acting in Festival of Creative Arts (FCA) productions or on TV sets starring in any one of more than a dozen local soap operas, including Tahidi High where he was one of the “pioneer” performers and Suga where he played the Master Suga.

This is why news of his recent demise in a road accident compelled me to say something about what a jewel in the crown of contemporary theatre we have lost with his sudden departure.

He was an actor who literally lit up a stage, whether he played a waiter, househelp or crooked conman. The sort of “fool” that Shakespeare loved having in all of his comedies, Amunga never minded playing the buffoon or even the foolish, sly fox. The audience invariably knew he would come up with wonderful punch lines that hit the mark and tickled their funny bone.

To say that he was in the prime of his life and at the top of his game is not a stretch of the imagination since at the time of the accident he had just finished acting in and directing the FCA comedy, Trapped at Alliance Francaise last month.

And he was preparing to direct two more FCA productions, a comedy called Forbidden which was scheduled to run from September 18-21 and a thriller entitled It’s Back scheduled to be staged in October, both at Alliance.

Details about his death are scanty. What we do know is that he was rushed to Kenyatta National Hospital and immediately taken to the intensive care unit where he passed on Sunday morning.

It may be difficult to fill Amunga’s shoes since he was a marvellous actor who ensured that FCA shows were invariably a sell-out, full-house event at every one of their productions, even when the popular theatre company shifted its shows to Kenya National Theatre.

He was also increasingly taking on the director’s role, which delighted FCA producer Eliud Abuto no end since Amunga, in addition to being an incredible actor and comedian, was an outstanding drama teacher.

“He helped me a great deal to train new and up-and-coming actors, giving them the same sort of confidence and ease that Amunga had himself,” said Abuto.

Having joined FCA in 2005, Amunga performed in more than 40 of their productions. His forte was clearly comedy, but he was also a star in thrillers like Dirty Sexy Money and Trap for a Lonely Man.

Among the most memorable comedies that Amunga starred in (even when he had a minor role, playing a cook, waiter or clerk, he couldn’t help being a star!) were When Did You Last See Your Trousers, It Can Damage Your Health, Key For 2, Beside Manners, Wrath of a Woman Scorned and Trapped. But his versatility was often seen when he performed in shows like She Ate the Female Cassava and musicals like Waka Waka.

Fellow actors, family and friends have already begun meeting to ensure Amunga will not be soon forgotten. Some are thinking about a monument or sculpture or even a plaque made in his name.

Others are organising a website to feature everything they can to memorialise him, including photographs of him in plays and on TV.