Title of the show: I Command Time to Stop

I Command Time to Stop, presented by Djely Théâtre d’Abidjan, is a theatrical performance rich in symbolism and political satire, depicting the imminent end of an absolute reign. The story revolves around Djina Djougou, “the evil genius,” the all-powerful ruler of Africanie. The piece opens amid the crumbling certainty of the monarch, confronted with a new reality: a people daring to voice their grievances. Through subdued lighting, ancestral percussive rhythms, and dreamlike projections, the staging emphasizes the tension between the illusion of omnipotence and the invisible yet irresistible force of change.

Founded in 1991 in Yopougon by actor Kouya Gnèpa, a graduate of INA/INSAAC, Djely Théâtre became a household name in Ivory Coast through national television, with numerous theatrical productions and four audio cassettes of comic sketches. Their latest work, Djina Djougou (the evil genius), portrays with sharp symbolism and biting political satire the collapse of the monarch’s power: awakened by the people’s clamor, destabilized by General Zakpa, Djina Djougou attempts to command the meteorologist Fanian to stop the clocks, seeking to defy the unstoppable current of time and maintain his authority.

Country: Côte d’Ivoire