A Review of Azunwo Emenike’s Play Helpless

Title: Helpless 

Genre: Drama

Author: Eziwho Emenike Azunwo

Year of Publication: 2025

Pagination: 76

Reviewer: Gomez, Chidinma Ezeocha 

Institution: Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Department of Theatre and Film studies

Introduction

Helpless is a poignant and compelling dramatization of the social, cultural, and moral complexities that plague contemporary African society. Written by Dr. Eziwho Emenike Azunwo - playwright and lecturer, the play is not only a work of dramatic art but also a mirror reflecting the harsh realities of power imbalance, gendered vulnerability, injustice, and communal silence. With a powerful mix of realism, symbolism, and emotionally charged dialogue, Helpless confronts the audience with the consequences of silence, complicity, and the abuse of authority in family and institutional structures.

Azunwo’s commitment to social realism and justice comes alive in this play. The world he creates is one many viewers will find all too familiar. Through the story of a helpless girl and a community complicit in her downfall, the play raises urgent questions about responsibility, leadership, and collective guilt.

About the Playwright

Dr. Eziwho Emenike Azunwo is a Nigerian playwright and academic known for his bold use of theatre as a tool for social commentary. His works often explore themes of injustice, power dynamics, gender, and the complexities of traditional society. Through plays such as Apogee, The Last Resort, and now Helpless, he has proven to be a voice for the voiceless, choosing to center marginalized experiences and expose communal flaws through storytelling. As a lecturer, his influence goes beyond the stage, shaping the next generation of Nigerian dramatists and performers.

Synopsis

Set in a semi-urban Nigerian community, Helpless follows the tragic story of Nimi, a young girl navigating the loss of her mother and the trauma that follows. After her mother’s death, Nimi's world quickly deteriorates. Her father, Mr. Briggs, remarries a cold and hostile woman, Tonye, who makes life unbearable for Nimi. Instead of shielding his daughter, Mr. Briggs turns a blind eye to Tonye's cruelty, choosing peace in his new marriage over the protection of his child.

Things take a darker turn when Nimi's trusted uncle, who should be a source of comfort and support, takes advantage of her vulnerability. Despite seeking help, Nimi finds herself failed by every support system around her: family, religion, tradition, and justice. The play crescendos into an emotionally devastating finale, where her strength finally gives way, leaving the audience in no doubt that she has been utterly, systematically failed.

Structure and Plot Development

The structure of Helpless moves with deliberate pacing, building tension scene by scene. The first act introduces the family and the new dynamics with Tonye’s arrival. The second act begins to show cracks in the domestic setting - Nimi’s quiet suffering and her father’s detachment. By the third act, the emotional and physical abuse intensifies, climaxing with the ultimate betrayal by her uncle.

The final act delivers a gut-wrenching unraveling of Nimi’s world. The silence of those around her becomes deafening, and even in the final scenes, the community’s reaction is passive, leaving a chilling aftertaste. The gradual buildup and inevitable collapse are emotionally calculated and thematically consistent, making the play both painful and unforgettable.

Thematic Preoccupations

One of the most powerful aspects of Helpless lies in its thematic richness. At the heart of the narrative is betrayal, not just of Nimi by her father and uncle, but of the entire society that chooses silence over action. The play offers a brutal commentary on the abuse of power and authority, showing how easily those in trusted positions: parents, elders, and spiritual leaders, can become complicit in wrongdoing through either action or negligence.

Another core theme is female vulnerability in a patriarchal society. Nimi’s suffering speaks to the experiences of countless women and girls who are not only abused but also silenced and shamed by the very systems that should protect them. The play also explores the hypocrisy of religious institutions, exposing how spiritual spaces can often ignore or even exacerbate societal issues when more concerned with image than impact.

Additionally, the theme of selective justice is evident. Some characters face harsh consequences, while others are shielded by power, influence, or gender. This mirrors the reality of many African communities where the elite often manipulate tradition to serve their interests.

Characterization

Azunwo's characters are carefully drawn and symbolically weighted. Nimi is the emotional and moral center of the play, an innocent whose silent resilience makes her downfall all the more tragic. Her character is not only a victim but a symbol of strength in suffering, representing the quiet endurance of oppressed individuals.

Mr. Briggs, her father, is portrayed as deeply flawed, a weak man who fails to uphold his moral responsibility as a father. His silence and inaction are as damaging as the direct abuse inflicted by Tonye and the uncle. Tonye herself embodies bitterness and internalized oppression; once a victim, she now lashes out, becoming a tool of cruelty. The uncle is the darkest figure, a wolf in familial clothing, whose actions expose the terrifying betrayal possible within the home.

The supporting characters, including neighbors and church figures, are not immune to critique. Their silence, complicity, and moral cowardice further deepen Nimi’s despair. These characters collectively embody a society that turns a blind eye until tragedy becomes undeniable.

Language and Style

Azunwo’s use of language is both accessible and emotionally resonant. The dialogue is laced with realism, capturing the everyday speech patterns of Nigerian society while occasionally breaking into symbolic or poetic moments to heighten emotional impact. Proverbs and culturally grounded expressions enrich the narrative, evoking traditional oral storytelling while reinforcing key messages.

The tone shifts between calm domestic scenes and explosive emotional confrontations, allowing the audience to ride the emotional arc of the characters. Each scene is crafted to maximize tension and empathy, drawing viewers into Nimi’s increasingly suffocating reality.

Dramatic Techniques and Stage Possibilities

Azunwo demonstrates impressive use of theatrical devices in Helpless. The play's realism allows for an immersive experience, where the audience feels like observers of real-life tragedy. Foreshadowing subtly prepares the audience for the inevitable collapse of Nimi’s world. Symbolism is present in names, actions, and events, especially in the silence of authority figures, which speaks louder than their words.

The use of sound, drumming, body movement, and character positioning (as seen particularly in the final chaotic scenes) intensifies the dramatic impact. The rhythms of the drums mirror the emotional tempo of the scenes - calm, rising, then erupting in dissonance when the climax is reached. This musical element, rooted in African tradition, transforms the stage into a living village space, and metaphorically represents the communal heartbeat, or its breakdown.

Lighting can also be used effectively to signal mood shifts, from warm domestic lighting in Act I to stark, cold shadows during scenes of abuse or neglect. Costume choices would reflect social class and emotional state, while the physical layout of the stage would isolate Nimi even within a crowd, emphasizing her psychological imprisonment.

Personal Reflection and Conclusion

Helpless moved me deeply, not just as a student of Theatre Arts but as a young Nigerian woman. It was impossible not to feel Nimi’s pain, not to recognize the familiar patterns of injustice and neglect echoed in our communities. What made the play especially heartbreaking was how believable it was, because it is happening, every day, in real life.

Dr. Azunwo’s work is more than entertainment; it is a social call to action. Through the tragedy of one girl, he holds up a mirror to society, asking us what role we play in perpetuating injustice. Do we speak up when we see wrongdoing? Do we protect the vulnerable, or do we make excuses for their abusers? These are the haunting questions that Helpless leaves behind.

In conclusion, Helpless is a bold and necessary work of theatre. It is emotionally stirring, culturally grounded, and intellectually provoking. It exposes the failures of traditional systems, while calling for a collective reevaluation of our values. For all its sorrow, it is also a powerful reminder that the arts can awaken society to its faults, and perhaps, help spark the change we desperately need.