It’s been a season of exciting productions despite the economic challenges and insecurity that wiped smiles off the faces of Nigerians.
LIVE theatre lovers in Lagos had the time of their lives this Yuletide with exciting productions across Nigeria’s Centre of Excellence. Though musicals were expectedly in the majority after making a roaring comeback a decade ago with Uche Nwokedi and Bolanle Austen-Peters’ Kakadu’ and ‘Saro’ respectively, there were other equally good plays.
Interestingly, hardly any Yuletide season and the first week of the New Year now pass without titillating productions affirming the ingenuity of Nigerian producers and the thriving creative ecosystem. Despite the harsh economy and the dwindling support from corporate sponsors, producers continue to do their thing, with theatre lovers who can afford the gate fee getting value for their money.
Some of the stage delights this season include
Saro
Bolanle Austen-Peters Production (BAP) has been running the musical, first staged 10 years ago and shown in London and Johannesburg since December 22. Like wine, which becomes better with age, the producers have jazzed up the production set in Lagos, which explores the life of three talented boys, Azeez, Laitan and Efe, from a village where they were local sensations. The trio embark on a life-altering journey to Lagos driven by their passion for music and the desire for success. Their journey is riveting, with people still able to see the production until January 2.
Kakadu
The tale of life in Lagos, love and friendship returned to the stage with significant improvements. It tells the story of dreams, hopes, friendships, broken promises, loss, love, and innocence. The then-famous Kakadu Lagos nightclub in the 50s and 60s is the backdrop of the musical. It was a famous watering hole for people. Still, the Nigerian Civil War happened, and things were never the same for the four friends from different tribes- Emeka, Kola, Osahon and Dapo alongside their female counterparts – Bisi, Ammonia, Enoh and Hassana.
Kakadu’ is a kaleidoscope of sounds: highlife, calypso, Latin beat, Afrobeat, Anglo-American soul, pop, and Nigerian folk songs, which evoke nostalgia for the ‘60s and the great musicians of yesteryears. It also touches on nation-building and asks how Nigeria should proceed, especially with the current economic hardships, insecurity and loss of confidence in the government.
History Sings/Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again
Though he can come across as brash and abrasive, Joseph Edgar’s (Duke of Shomolu) passion for the theatre is not in doubt. The University of Ibadan-trained political scientist turned investment banker has taken to productions like a fish to water. In about five years, he has produced historical plays, including ‘Awo’, ‘Baba Kekere’, ‘Aremu’, ‘UfokIbaan’, ‘Oba Esugbayi’, ‘Zik of Africa’, ‘Sardauna’ and ‘Emir Sanusi’. This Yuletide, he offered ‘History Sings’ featuring Kate Henshaw and ‘Our Duke Has Gone Mad Again’ inspired by his life experiences at the MUSON Centre, Lagos. While ‘Our Duke…’ ran on December 23 and 24th, ‘History Sings’ by Makinde Adeniran showed on the 25th and 26th. It is an excursion into Nigeria’s music history and will return soonest.
The King Must Dance Naked
The Lufodo Academy of Performing Arts is staging Fred Agbeyegbe’s famous play this Yuletide. It opened at the Glover Memorial Hall on December 22 and ends later this evening. Actors Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva-Jacobs are the executive producers, while Adesoji Jacobs is the producer of the play woven around a man-woman riddle and dramatisation of a radical quest for change through the confrontation of unbalanced laws of human existence,
It is co-directed by Toritseju Akiya Ejoh and Adebunmi Adewale. The play examines culture, tradition, and leadership and how they intersect.
As Ejoh noted ahead of its run, the play is also an introspection into leadership.”As a king, you will not bathe yourself when you transition; others will cleanse you. So what have you to hide? The play, therefore, is an introspection into leadership to test the quality of a leader if you are willing to be accountable. That’s what the play is asking. Is leadership ready to be responsible?
“The king being the almighty, will he succumb to the directives of the ones we do not see? Who is at play here? These questions arise from the text The King Must Dance Naked, and the audience here will see its interpretation in movement, dance and music when we open.”
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