Play Analysis
C. Chen
Synopsis
Come Good Rain, written by George Seremba, is about George’s life in Uganda as the country undergoes political turmoil.
George, following his childhood and entrance into university, finds himself as a voice of dissent against the political happenings of the country of Uganda. This results in his exile. Hoping to take advantage of the chaos of an election, he re-enters Uganda, but is caught, and taken to the Namanve Forest to be executed.
As the rain falls, he finds that he has survived, and his life is saved.
George, following his childhood and entrance into university, finds himself as a voice of dissent against the political happenings of the country of Uganda. This results in his exile. Hoping to take advantage of the chaos of an election, he re-enters Uganda, but is caught, and taken to the Namanve Forest to be executed.
As the rain falls, he finds that he has survived, and his life is saved.
An Introduction
Come Good Rain has been described by Seremba as an “autobiographical” story--as a coming of age in the country of Uganda, but also as an exploration of the history of Uganda during the time of “two dictators” coming to power (King & Seremba 117). There is no denying the power in simultaneously being both. In being so, Come Good Rain effectively utilizes pathos, ethos, and logos in communicating its message.
The pathos and ethos stems from the play following Seremba’s life, as we learn about him and his convictions, as well as about the turmoil he undergoes. The “dignity and warmth of [his] extended family” is also something that is explored (Colgan). As an audience, we can be aware of the ethos inherent in recognizing Seremba as someone who has not only lived in Uganda during this time, but has survived. The logos stems from the wider historical basis that this play employs--that is, the aforementioned dictatorships, and how their tyranny is “a cause for fear” in the “larger world” (Colgan).
But what, precisely, is the message that is being conveyed in Come Good Rain?
The pathos and ethos stems from the play following Seremba’s life, as we learn about him and his convictions, as well as about the turmoil he undergoes. The “dignity and warmth of [his] extended family” is also something that is explored (Colgan). As an audience, we can be aware of the ethos inherent in recognizing Seremba as someone who has not only lived in Uganda during this time, but has survived. The logos stems from the wider historical basis that this play employs--that is, the aforementioned dictatorships, and how their tyranny is “a cause for fear” in the “larger world” (Colgan).
But what, precisely, is the message that is being conveyed in Come Good Rain?
Politics in Come Good Rain
There is no denying the importance of the presence of politics in this play. As the narrator takes on the role of countless other characters, a “continuous chain of atrocities from the time of the regime of Amin to that of Milton Obote” is portrayed (Olaogun 431). This creates a “defamiliarization of atrocities” that assists in conveying their impact (Olaogun 431). As it is being used here, “defamiliarization” specifically refers to the act of “making the familiar strange by impeding automatic, habitual ways of perceiving” (Prince 18). In any case, while it is true that Come Good Rain is about Seremba’s story of survival, it is also about the politics surrounding this time, and how Seremba acted as a “direct victim and witness of the atrocities” (Olaogun 432).
Even the Ugandan Timeline included in this version of the play has a notable focus on the states of presidency in the country, and the actions that these presidents had taken (Seremba 9). The inclusion of this timeline is indicative of the relevance that these events have when placed in conjunction with the play itself, highlighting the aforementioned importance of the presence of politics.
Seremba has stated before that he dedicates every performance to the people slaughtered under the regimes of Obote and Idi Amin, making the political relevance clear in any given performance by Seremba, as well (Bemrose). All things considered, Come Good Rain’s political commentaries are fairly straightforward. Under these oppressive regimes, Seremba has suffered, among many others, and he even begs that “this Government not last, at least not let them kill too many people” (Seremba 50).
The Government plays a consistently antagonistic role, and even in the paratext that is the provided timeline, there is a clear sense of bitterness in how these major political events are portrayed--such as explicitly describing Obote’s regime as “hegemonic and murderous” (Seremba 10).
Even the Ugandan Timeline included in this version of the play has a notable focus on the states of presidency in the country, and the actions that these presidents had taken (Seremba 9). The inclusion of this timeline is indicative of the relevance that these events have when placed in conjunction with the play itself, highlighting the aforementioned importance of the presence of politics.
Seremba has stated before that he dedicates every performance to the people slaughtered under the regimes of Obote and Idi Amin, making the political relevance clear in any given performance by Seremba, as well (Bemrose). All things considered, Come Good Rain’s political commentaries are fairly straightforward. Under these oppressive regimes, Seremba has suffered, among many others, and he even begs that “this Government not last, at least not let them kill too many people” (Seremba 50).
The Government plays a consistently antagonistic role, and even in the paratext that is the provided timeline, there is a clear sense of bitterness in how these major political events are portrayed--such as explicitly describing Obote’s regime as “hegemonic and murderous” (Seremba 10).
Motifs
Come Good Rain is a narrative piece, and so it is only to be expected that the play contains elements of literary devices. Motifs, in particular, play a significant role.
The motif of rain is not one to be ignored. After all, it is present in the title. Of course, outside the play, rain is nothing more than a result of the water cycle--a product that appears at uncontrollable times--but in the context of dramatizing one’s own life, these coincidences can be transformed into things that carry much more significance, meaning, and weight. Rain is mentioned many times throughout the play, from prompting George into thinking of Nsim’egwire, to rain falling onto his body as he lays in the forest, left for dead (Seremba 25; 51).
Rain can often be used as a symbol of rebirth, and Come Good Rain is no exception. The rain falls on George’s left-for-dead body--and this rain continues as George, in a way, resurrects, as he comes back from that which was meant to kill him. The rain itself had saved his life, as it allowed for his wounds to clot (CoolCleveland).
The candle is another noteworthy motif. In a way, it represents the fiery spirit of survival, as well as the quiet power in every single humble act. “Do not go gentle into that good night”, so a voice says as the play draws to a close (Seremba 63). Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet particularly well-known for his poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night”, a poem that is about resisting and rejecting death--to only leave the living world kicking and screaming, if at all. In addition, “the burning candle he holds during the opening incantation is a more or less universal symbol for peace (and for enlightenment)” (Mulekwa 230).
George’s song is another recurring motif, falling in line with the framework that Nsimb’egwire’s story creates for George’s own story, which we will delve into further soon.
The motif of rain is not one to be ignored. After all, it is present in the title. Of course, outside the play, rain is nothing more than a result of the water cycle--a product that appears at uncontrollable times--but in the context of dramatizing one’s own life, these coincidences can be transformed into things that carry much more significance, meaning, and weight. Rain is mentioned many times throughout the play, from prompting George into thinking of Nsim’egwire, to rain falling onto his body as he lays in the forest, left for dead (Seremba 25; 51).
Rain can often be used as a symbol of rebirth, and Come Good Rain is no exception. The rain falls on George’s left-for-dead body--and this rain continues as George, in a way, resurrects, as he comes back from that which was meant to kill him. The rain itself had saved his life, as it allowed for his wounds to clot (CoolCleveland).
The candle is another noteworthy motif. In a way, it represents the fiery spirit of survival, as well as the quiet power in every single humble act. “Do not go gentle into that good night”, so a voice says as the play draws to a close (Seremba 63). Dylan Thomas, a Welsh poet particularly well-known for his poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night”, a poem that is about resisting and rejecting death--to only leave the living world kicking and screaming, if at all. In addition, “the burning candle he holds during the opening incantation is a more or less universal symbol for peace (and for enlightenment)” (Mulekwa 230).
George’s song is another recurring motif, falling in line with the framework that Nsimb’egwire’s story creates for George’s own story, which we will delve into further soon.
Tragedy & Catharsis
Seremba has described every performance of Come Good Rain as “cathartic” in some sense, and that he feels “emotionally lighter” after having written Come Good Rain (Dowden). Is this play, the writing of it and the performance of it, a means of coping, then? The scenes written out and the characters he gets to take the role of--does it all result in the purging of emotion?
Seremba had written a poem, “Night Rain”, in a Kenyan hospital, explicitly as a means to the end of putting the events of December 10, 1980 behind him (Seremba 8). Come Good Rain, on the other hand, was commissioned by the members of the village that had saved him, because the village had wanted him to tell his story (CoolCleveland). Knowing that he was supported by so many people, despite his fears for how it might negatively affect the people of Uganda, he found the strength to write the play (CoolCleveland).
Come Good Rain is like other autobiographical solo performance plays, such as Box the Pony and The 7 Stages of Grieving, in that “it enables the protagonist to come to terms with painful memories by re-enacting them”, and it is easy to see how that applies to Come Good Rain (Maufort 94).
In the end, Seremba has declared Come Good Rain is all the revenge he needs, and that he has “the last laugh every night” (Bemrose). Come Good Rain is best seen as catharsis for Seremba himself with this in mind. The fact that he had survived and had gone on to create this work of art to come to terms with and truly “bear the burden of that night” is enough for him, and gives Come Good Rain its own unique weight in terms of what it means for the playwright (Seremba 8).
Seremba had written a poem, “Night Rain”, in a Kenyan hospital, explicitly as a means to the end of putting the events of December 10, 1980 behind him (Seremba 8). Come Good Rain, on the other hand, was commissioned by the members of the village that had saved him, because the village had wanted him to tell his story (CoolCleveland). Knowing that he was supported by so many people, despite his fears for how it might negatively affect the people of Uganda, he found the strength to write the play (CoolCleveland).
Come Good Rain is like other autobiographical solo performance plays, such as Box the Pony and The 7 Stages of Grieving, in that “it enables the protagonist to come to terms with painful memories by re-enacting them”, and it is easy to see how that applies to Come Good Rain (Maufort 94).
In the end, Seremba has declared Come Good Rain is all the revenge he needs, and that he has “the last laugh every night” (Bemrose). Come Good Rain is best seen as catharsis for Seremba himself with this in mind. The fact that he had survived and had gone on to create this work of art to come to terms with and truly “bear the burden of that night” is enough for him, and gives Come Good Rain its own unique weight in terms of what it means for the playwright (Seremba 8).
Truth & Authenticity
This play is based on true events, but to document every single moment of one’s life would be an impossible task. So what moments were chosen to be included, and why? Some of these moments have more obvious answers than others. The scene in the Namanve Forest, where he is to be executed, is akin to being the crux of the entire story. Seremba himself has described the play as revolving around the evening of December 10th, 1980 (King and Seremba 117).
But what about all the other scenes that lead up to and follow this crucial moment?
George’s childhood in Uganda is covered to allow the audience to witness the events that affected him greatly, and how this fuelled his development over the course of the succeeding years. This is George’s story, and to fully understand the story as best as we can, we must first understand George, himself. The scenes that follow his attempted execution bring us back into the “dignity and warmth” of his family, and act, in a way, as a celebration of his survival, albeit a quiet and bittersweet one (Colgan).
The accuracy of these memories is fuelled by the strength, meaning, and weight that Seremba associates with them--the emotions felt during these moments are raw and real. When it comes to ideas of authenticity, one could argue that it does not get any more authentic than an autobiographical drama. This leads us to wonder about the relationship between the act of dramatizing a real event, and the event itself.
“The process of remembering is different” (Carroll).
But what about all the other scenes that lead up to and follow this crucial moment?
George’s childhood in Uganda is covered to allow the audience to witness the events that affected him greatly, and how this fuelled his development over the course of the succeeding years. This is George’s story, and to fully understand the story as best as we can, we must first understand George, himself. The scenes that follow his attempted execution bring us back into the “dignity and warmth” of his family, and act, in a way, as a celebration of his survival, albeit a quiet and bittersweet one (Colgan).
The accuracy of these memories is fuelled by the strength, meaning, and weight that Seremba associates with them--the emotions felt during these moments are raw and real. When it comes to ideas of authenticity, one could argue that it does not get any more authentic than an autobiographical drama. This leads us to wonder about the relationship between the act of dramatizing a real event, and the event itself.
“The process of remembering is different” (Carroll).
Storytelling
Come Good Rain mixes artistic techniques of both Western and African kinds--from Western dramatic and novelistic devices, such as during the attempted execution, where the monologue reads like a novel, to the poetic use of African tales, legends, and musical styles, such as the percussion and the flute motif--which represents Seremba’s own “in-betweenness of identity” as an exile and as an immigrant (Maufort 95).
Come Good Rain is about telling a story, and it is about sharing that story with as many corners of the world as possible. Seremba has described his childhood as “traumatic”, and has stated that his fondest memories were of his “mother [telling] stories”--the importance of storytelling to Seremba’s growth as a person is not to be diminished, and this importance shines through in the play itself (Koehler). Seremba has stated that he has dedicated his life to “bearing witness” for the sake of everyone who has been oppressed, and to speak up and spread the courage to rise up (CoolCleveland).
In Come Good Rain, George takes on the role of all other characters, much like a raconteur would when telling a story of their own. The story of Nsimb’egwire is discussed throughout the play--and hers is a story of a struggle for freedom. George’s own struggle for survival is reflective of Nsimb’egwire’s tale, an affinity that is stated outright by George as he wonders if “all [he] can do is sing like Nsimb’egwire” (Seremba 53). Nsimb’egwire is both a story that socialized a young George, and acts as a story that frames Seremba’s own story (Olaogun 442).
Seremba himself is attached to the phrase, “the poetics of resistance”, and this term and its ability to be applied to Come Good Rain is clear. The artistry present in Come Good Rain is a symbol of the artistry inherent in resistance--something made clear throughout the play, and in Seremba’s own life.
Come Good Rain is about telling a story, and it is about sharing that story with as many corners of the world as possible. Seremba has described his childhood as “traumatic”, and has stated that his fondest memories were of his “mother [telling] stories”--the importance of storytelling to Seremba’s growth as a person is not to be diminished, and this importance shines through in the play itself (Koehler). Seremba has stated that he has dedicated his life to “bearing witness” for the sake of everyone who has been oppressed, and to speak up and spread the courage to rise up (CoolCleveland).
In Come Good Rain, George takes on the role of all other characters, much like a raconteur would when telling a story of their own. The story of Nsimb’egwire is discussed throughout the play--and hers is a story of a struggle for freedom. George’s own struggle for survival is reflective of Nsimb’egwire’s tale, an affinity that is stated outright by George as he wonders if “all [he] can do is sing like Nsimb’egwire” (Seremba 53). Nsimb’egwire is both a story that socialized a young George, and acts as a story that frames Seremba’s own story (Olaogun 442).
Seremba himself is attached to the phrase, “the poetics of resistance”, and this term and its ability to be applied to Come Good Rain is clear. The artistry present in Come Good Rain is a symbol of the artistry inherent in resistance--something made clear throughout the play, and in Seremba’s own life.
Conclusion
Come Good Rain is a play about one person, but, at the same time, it is about so much more. From politics to coming of age, Come Good Rain encompasses so much, all to add to the feeling of truth, authenticity, and meaning that it conveys in its very being.
Dramaturg's Note: This play analysis is not meant to be an end-all be-all interpretation. It is here to offer a way to delve deeper into Come Good Rain in a manner that allows for a greater understanding of our dramaturgical direction, especially regarding authenticity. The themes, ideas, and motifs explored here are to add on to having a collective understanding for any potential collaboration to benefit from, and are built upon in various ways throughout this portfolio. The overall analysis is also intended to assist in capturing a greater sense of authenticity, stemming from having an understanding of the work. Thank you.
Dramaturg's Note: This play analysis is not meant to be an end-all be-all interpretation. It is here to offer a way to delve deeper into Come Good Rain in a manner that allows for a greater understanding of our dramaturgical direction, especially regarding authenticity. The themes, ideas, and motifs explored here are to add on to having a collective understanding for any potential collaboration to benefit from, and are built upon in various ways throughout this portfolio. The overall analysis is also intended to assist in capturing a greater sense of authenticity, stemming from having an understanding of the work. Thank you.
Works Cited:
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Dowden, Richard. “THEATRE / Breathing lines of fire: Thirteen years ago, George Seremba was
dragged in front of a Ugandan firing squad and shot. Amazingly he survived. He is now
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King, Jason and George Seremba. “Canadian, Irish and Ugandan Theatre Links: An Interview
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Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Koehler, Robert. “The Politics of ‘Good Rain’ : Theater: Ugandan actor George Seremba
recounts his life and near-death after an attempted execution by firing squad in his play,
which has its U.S. premiere tonight.” latimes.com. Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 1993.
Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Maufort, Marc. Transgressive Itineraries: Postcolonial Hybridizations of Dramatic Realism.
Brussels: P.I.E.-Peter Lang S.A, 2006. Print.
Mulekwa, Charles. Performing the Legacy of War in Uganda. Dissertation, Brown University,
2012.
Olaogun, Modupe. “Dramatizing Atrocities: Plays by Wole Soyinka, Francis Imbuga, and
George Seremba Recalling the Idi Amin Era.” Modern Drama 45.3 (2002): 430-448.
Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Prince, Gerald. A Dictionary of Narratology. Lincoln: University of Nebraska P, 1987. Print.
Bemrose, John. “Delivered from evil.” macleans.ca. Maclean’s, 7 Apr. 1997. Web. 28 Nov.
2020.
Carroll, Tobias. “How We Fictionalize Our Politics.” lithub.com. Literary Hub, 18 Feb. 2016.
Web. 29 Nov. 2020.
Case Western Reserve University. “George Seremba - Theater and the Poetics of Resistance.”
Youtube, 23 Jun. 2011, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IS48EFeZuM.
Colgan, Gerry. “Come Good Rain - City Arts Centre.” irishtimes.com. The Irish Times, 27 May
1999. Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
CoolCleveland. “VIDEO: George Seremba & The Poetics of Resistance.” Youtube, 8 Apr 2011,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5V1mf8HOq4.
Dowden, Richard. “THEATRE / Breathing lines of fire: Thirteen years ago, George Seremba was
dragged in front of a Ugandan firing squad and shot. Amazingly he survived. He is now
reliving the experience on stage. Richard Dowden reports.” independent.co.uk.
Independent, 17 Oct. 1994. Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
King, Jason and George Seremba. “Canadian, Irish and Ugandan Theatre Links: An Interview
with George Seremba.” The Canadian Journal of Irish Studies, 31.1 (2005): 117–121.
Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Koehler, Robert. “The Politics of ‘Good Rain’ : Theater: Ugandan actor George Seremba
recounts his life and near-death after an attempted execution by firing squad in his play,
which has its U.S. premiere tonight.” latimes.com. Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 1993.
Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Maufort, Marc. Transgressive Itineraries: Postcolonial Hybridizations of Dramatic Realism.
Brussels: P.I.E.-Peter Lang S.A, 2006. Print.
Mulekwa, Charles. Performing the Legacy of War in Uganda. Dissertation, Brown University,
2012.
Olaogun, Modupe. “Dramatizing Atrocities: Plays by Wole Soyinka, Francis Imbuga, and
George Seremba Recalling the Idi Amin Era.” Modern Drama 45.3 (2002): 430-448.
Web. 28 Nov. 2020.
Prince, Gerald. A Dictionary of Narratology. Lincoln: University of Nebraska P, 1987. Print.