Empirical Investigation of Audience Response to Multilingual Performance in Nigerian Theatre

Multilingual performance, incorporating multiple Nigerian languages within a single production, presents both artistic and communicative challenges, and empirically investigating how Nigerian audiences respond to such productions provides evidence for language policy in performance. This study empirically investigated audience response to multilingual theatrical performances in Lagos, Enugu, and Kano, representing South West, South East, and North West Nigeria. A mixed-methods design employed post-performance surveys administered to 450 audience members (150 per city) at specifically selected multilingual productions, supplemented by focus groups with 8 participants per city (24 total). Survey dimensions included comprehension, emotional engagement, cultural connection, and overall satisfaction. Multilingual productions incorporating the audience's primary language alongside other Nigerian languages showed higher comprehension satisfaction scores than productions using only English (p < 0.001). Audience members who did not understand all languages used reported engagement through physical and musical performance elements, suggesting multimodal communication compensated for verbal comprehension gaps. Lagos audiences showed the highest tolerance for linguistic multiplicity, consistent with the city's cosmopolitan demographic. Kano audiences showed stronger preference for Hausa-dominant multilingual performance. Focus groups revealed that multilingual performance was perceived as politically significant, affirming national unity through cultural plurality. The study provides original empirical data on audience response to multilingual theatre and recommends strategic multilingualism in Nigerian national theatre productions, surtitle provision as an accessibility measure, and university drama training in multilingual performance facilitation. Keywords: multilingual performance, audience response, Nigerian theatre, language policy, performance communication