Stage Play Reviews

Disclaimer: Where I, honestly, review stage plays I've seen in Lagos.

London Life Lagos Living 

Based on the book by Bobo Omotayo

Directed by Kenneth Uphopho

Produced by Kemi Lala Akindoju

Starring: Kate Henshaw, Funke Akindele, OC Ukeje, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Lami Phillips, Patrick Diabuah and Adebola Williams

Show time & Venue: October 2015 at MUSON Centre

Synopsis/Story: London Life Lagos Living tells with humour the nuances and frustrations of living in the two vibrant cities; the rampant peeing by the roadsides in Lagos, the vexations of living in a face-me-I-face-you block of flats, the issues that come with being well-traveled and having a fancy accent but still being stuck with a Nigerian passport.
London Life Lagos Living was a thrill to watch! The actors (minus Adebola Williams; we’ll get to that shortly) did a fantastic job.

Acting/Entertainment: The monologues were delivered beautifully. There was no dull moment. My favourite actor had to be Patrick Diabuah. Such energy! Funke Akindele also showed that she was more than just Jenifa. Adebola Williams let the ball drop to gigantic proportions during his monologue; I could barely hear what he was saying (and I was seated near the front) and so missed most of his punch lines. Cringe.

Set/Props: The stage was bare and they worked with very little props but the energy of the actors carried us.

Choreography: Again, very little choreography but the actors themselves were so entertaining you barely noticed.

Music: The musical ensemble was excellent; they used some popular songs, reworked with lyrics suited to the play and they pulled it off very well.

The Négritude Rating: 8 over 10



Heartbeat 

Based on the book by Tosin Otudeko

Directed by Najite Dede

Produced by Olu Jacobs and Joke Silva

Starring: Femi Jacobs, Oluchi Odii, Offiong Edet Anthony, Ralph Okora, Jacquelyn Martins Okolie, Bola Edwards, Bridget Okonkwo, Oscar Adiele, Frank Konwea, Adeola Awodein

Show time & Venue: November to December 2016 at the MUSON Centre

Synopsis: Heartbeat is about the stories of three characters (Arinola, Kunle and Adi) whose lives become intertwined at a refuge house, Grace House, where they have each come after conflict tore their families and life apart, being able to again find love and hope despite it all.

What was so tragic, however, about Heartbeat was that we had this lovely reception down stairs before the house was open, where we were served chapman and akara and mosa donned in fanciful appearance; and then we went into the hall and the play fell short on too many levels.

Choreography: The first dance routine was, at best, messy; the dancers/actors seemed all over the place. If you cannot grab your audience within the first five minutes of a production, it will be difficult to get them the rest of the way; this is what happened with Heartbeat.

Acting: My favourite actor was Oscar Adiele (who played Adi); he was playful and likeable. Everybody else was mediocre and over-acted much of the time.

Set/Props: The stage had a solid staircase which led to a first floor, but it still looked a little messy with doors off at the sides looking as though they had been built in a hurry. Changing between sets was seamless enough.

Entertaining: I found myself bored in bits and looking forward to the next scene. My favourite scenes had to be the ones with the agberos; they killed it with their swag and were the better dancers of the lot. The story began to drag on after a while and looked forward to it ending.

Music: The writer(s) should, quite frankly, have gotten professional songwriters to write the songs of the play; the likes of Nosa or Cobams would have done a very fine job.

Miscellaneous: The guys who controlled the lights murdered it; they helped tell the story and transitioned us smoothly from one scene to another.

The Négritude Rating: 3 over 10