Nairobi — Theatre is a "hunger art". And despite the peals of laughter that it provides, there are usually more tears as far as money is concerned at the theatre halls.

But the financial migraine is gradually becoming a thing of the past in Kenya since, besides the gate collections, groups are getting funding from private companies and, now, "group support" grant from the Institute of Performing Arts Ltd (IPAL).

The kitty is funded by the Swedish Agency for International Development (Sida) to cater for production costs through IPAL and thus raise the standards of Kenyan theatre.

"So far we have supported about 17 groups," says Carole Odongo, the IPAL executive officer; "but we do not have a specific budget since the funding varies.

"However, groups receive between Sh10,000 and Sh50,000, depending on our overall budget and the number of groups."

The groups include Nairobi's Mbalamwezi Moodz Expressions, Festival of Creative Arts, Galaxy Players and We-Pet as well as Kizingo Arts and Fourth Avenue Club of Mombasa.

Two years old

Others are Pambazuka Arts Group and Stage Media of Bungoma, Krwenzi Theatre Productions of Machakos, Daraja Youth Group of Nyeri and Nakuru's Arts Ablaze.

For any group to qualify for the support, it must be at least two years old, have a defined administrative structure or plans to set up one, and comprise at least 10 members who attend annual general meetings regularly.

And this is not all. The group must be formally registered, have a bank account and have staged at least two productions in the past six months and another three since its inception.

"IPAL gives these small grants for particular production areas, which it picks from the group's budget," Odongo explains.

"This fund, though, doesn't include Per allowances," explains Carole who runs the organisation and all its projects, adding that the grants are available to theatre groups all over Kenya. The funded productions include original ones, scripts adapted to a Kenyan situation.

Relevant and topical foreign scripts are also considered, although they occupy the last slot in the food chain.

However, the funding excludes school theatre groups. "But currently we are at the end of our three-year funding period and await the next phase of funds, therefore the grant is not available," she adds.

IPAL was founded in 2001 as a non-profit organisation to promote the growth of performing arts, especially theatre. And in the past seven years, it has provided technical support for theatre artistes and outfits, besides conducting workshops on play writing, directing and instructing street children on theatre and acrobatic skills.

At least 95 per cent of its budget comes from donors and the rest from consultancy services in various aspects of theatre.

The IPAL board is chaired by Mueni Lundi (remember her in plays such as Dario Fo's A Woman Alone in the 1990s?), while Peter Mudamba, a founder member of the defunct Mbalamwezi Players Society, is the treasurer.

The board members include Odero Aghan (founder of Zamaleo ACT), Agnes A'aballah (another actress and founder of We-Pet) and Blak Odanyiro.

At the same time, Mbalamwezi Moodz, one of the beneficiaries of IPAL's grants, will be holding a "triple treat" in Nairobi and Nakuru this month.

This outfit that specialises in poetic productions, will be staging Anamorro the Cradle of Man, an educative show on the origins of man, that was commissioned by the Prehistory Club of The National Museums of Kenya.

Peter Mudamba will direct Adam Chienjo, Stellah Wanda, Nelson Gaitho, Alacoque Ntome, Asman Mwanza, Grace Njoki, John Kabiru and Naomi Wanjiru at the Alliance Francaise auditorium on November 24.

Davis Ngala will provide the music.

"Master of the House" is Shmuel Hasfari's family play that exposes the anxieties and fears of being uprooted from one's intimate environment, and which will be staged at the Alliance (for an invitations-only gala night) on November 15 to 18.

The play, Israel, will star Joel Otukho, Lucy Wahome, Bobby Buluma, Kyala Eric, Washington Evans, Lulu Hassan, Paul Mutuku, Jerry Ochieng and Katherine Damaris.

Hasfari, a leading Israeli playwright, is scheduled to attend the staging of his play that comically shows how renovating a home can challenge the stability of a marriage.

And finally, there is Ferocious Love Fusion, to be staged at the Nakuru Players theatre on November 15-16.

It is a super-mix of poetry, dance, drama, songs and percussion in telling the triple issues of love, hate and a brief political and social commentary.

It was successfully performed at the Alliance and the GoDown in April, this year.

Lucy Wahome, Naomi Wambui, Simon Mukali, Abubakar Mwenda, Sylvia Othieno and Eric Kyala will perform slices of the love stories with abhorrent undertones.

And The Woman Who Married a Turkey, a satirical play by Swedish playwright Gunilla Boethius, opens at the Phoenix Players today.

Milicent Ogutu directs herself as mother, David Opondoe as father of Jo (Cassandra Louis) and Harold (Harry Ebale) who suffers from low esteem.

Their problem is aggravated by Robert, (Kimanthi Kamencu), the Turkey man with an eye for Jo, but he, too, has issues. It runs till November 24.