[The] connection between traditional drama and religious ritual has led some commentators to note a similarity between the origins of African and Greek drama. Both arise from public celebration of local festival that approaches religious rite. Soyinka's own A Dance of the Forests is developed from the Yoruba Egungun Festival. Probably the point is theoretically valid, but I doubt whether we are helped to proper evaluation of this drama if we have the sublime power of Greek tragedy echoing in our memory.

Some new African dramatists aim at the conventionally European structure. They simply take over the format of the British "well made play." Only the fact that the characters are African and that the set is located in Africa supply any local element…. Other dramatists experiment boldly and extend the area available to drama by merging the European structure with specifically Nigerian aspects to begin the creation...