Book Review: The Successor by Francis Imbuga

The Successor is a play by Francis Imbuga that focuses on the themes of human greed and the role of the supernatural in determining the course of human lives. Characters being a major aspect in drama have been used by the author as the vehicle of delivering his message. The writer has used different characters in his play to convey different messages.

Characters that are found in the play are; Chief Jandi, Diviner See Through, Zira, Ademola, Demokola, Chief Oriomra, Segasega, Emperor Chonda, Chief Sasia, Kaisia, Kaliyesa, Vunami, Rita and Akiuso. The major characters in the play are; Chief Jandi, Emperor Chonda, Zira, Kaisia, Oriomra and th Diviner See Through.

The play is divided into two parts, each further divided into a number of scenes. Each of the parts presents a new stage in the development of the play’s plot. In the first part of the plot, the audience is introduced to the different characters in the play. The audience has the chance of learning about the nature of each of the characters and the role that each of them play in the development of the plot. The second part of the play opens with a new task for the Emperor of Masero (Emperor Chonda), where he has been accorded the task of naming a successor to the throne.

Apart from the themes of greed and the role of the supernatural forces in determining the course of our lives, other themes that the author of the play has dealt with include materialism, social relationships and the struggle for political positions.

The author has also used a number of stylistic devices, which have enabled him to convey his message. Some of the devices used include irony, humour, songs and suspense.