Day One: Lamu & Manda

FROM PHILIP (Producing Artistic Director):

Deborah Asiimwe, our East Africa Specialist, coordinated all of our flights perfectly and so she arrived at Kenyatta Airport in Nairobi, from Kampala, just about the same time that Christopher and I arrived (on two separate flights) from London. We found our driver, took a long morning rush hour (traffic stalled completely) drive to our ‘home away from home’ in Nairobi– the Fairview Hotel – where we met up with Roberta who had flown in the day before. Over breakfast, we caught up, checked e-mails and headed to Wilson Airport, for our short flight to Lamu, Kenya.

The plane lands on the tiny dirt runway of Lamu (technically on the Island of Manda) and we are greeted by Rachel, our host who owns and runs Diamond Beach Village, where most of our Lab guests will stay. Today, she has a smaller boat, and apologizes for the choppy waters. She isn’t kidding. The tiny boat with all of our luggage bounds over the lively blue waters and we get literally soaking wet. But it’s rather perfect, because the air is balmy and sweet, and salt on our faces and lips and eyes, feels healing already. The boat makes its way across the channel and we follow Lamu town shoreline all the way. At one point, I see two classic Lamu donkeys that seem to be talking to each other, and then the mosque by the sea blares forth its call to prayer, and I literally start to well with tears. Inside, I know we and why Sundance is here, and I know we are in the right place to welcome our diverse group of East African artists. This will be refuge, a retreat, something oh so special in their creative journeys and it bridges so many East African cultures – Kiswahili, Muslim, Christian, Black, Brown and European. This Sundance Institute Theatre Lab ‘site’ feels good.

We pass Shela Beach, where the famed Peponi Hotel sits and then a house belonging to Princess Caroline.

Finally at our own Beach, I slip off my shoes and wade the last few feet from boat to the sand, and up to the house where some of us our staying. The Baobab House boasts five huge trees (remember “The Little Prince”?) that are quite literally centuries old. The bedrooms open to the elements and a strong but warm breeze blows through. Sweet smells at once familiar (Hawaiian?) and new.

The staff at the house (Bernard, Hussein and Patrick) warmly greet us with Passion Fruit Nectar, and show up to our rooms. I’m utterly embarrassed that they’ve carried my ridiculously heavy suitcase up the beach to the house – it’s filled with every pharmaceutical imaginable (remember, I’m an anxiety ridden aging Jew), and DVDs I’ve brought to share (Cocteau’s BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; Philip Glass’ KOYANNISKATSI and more). Also, shoes to rival Sarah Jessica Parker (just kidding, sort of.)

Dinner is amazing. Roberta, Christopher, Deborah, Rachel sit around and discuss our histories, how Rachel came to this place (her mother, a British painter and Jewelry artist, discovered the property where Diamond Beach now sits some 10 years ago) and we fill her in, best we can, jet-lagged and all, on Sundance, and the Theatre Program. The food arrives. Are you ready? Patrick and Bernard have cooked: Spinach Soup, and bread, an amazing, gorgeous huge Red Snapper fish, and Calamari, and Shrimp and Crab, and Vegetables and Coconut Rice. And wine. And for dessert, a pineapple crumble. Christopher mutters something about “having an orgasm” and then apologizes for the remark, but we all secretly agree. Rachel says: “Basically, this is how you’ll be eating for the next three weeks.” Okay...

Tomorrow we will be up early to discuss the structure of the first few days and specifically how we communicate who we are, and how we hope to shepherd this program while staying wide open to the changes that must take place because we are here, and not Utah, and because we are with another array of cultures, not American. We are so jazzed, and nervous, and excited, and filled with awe to be here and to be poised to receive our lab fellows.

Tomorrow, we visit Lamutown, and see some folks we know there, and have our pre-lab meetings. Deborah will travel back to Nairobi, meet all sixteen of our artists and accompany them back to this place for our Friday meet and greet.

More to come. . .