Interrogating Social Ills, Marital Infidelity, Through Art

THAT cheating is bad can’t possibly be said enough. Flouting of marital vows that married men and women indulge in hit the pallete with pains. But what comes to your mind when you hear the word

Disgust, shame or rebuke?

Written by Jude Idada and produced for theatre by Joseph Edgar, is totally different from what you think. It interrogates moral, marriage and sex. Though rated +18, because it has a bit of nudity and profanity, the play deals with issues many shy away from.

is the fourth production by Edgar’s Duke of Shomolu Productions. The company has in last three years built a strong body of works as well as attracting over 50,000 audience to the theatre, including the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, and throwing NI00 million in top line face value budget into the space.

3Some sweetly grabs your attention with its shocking title but immediately moves away from the assumed vulgarism to a family-oriented story, which carries the audience through a healthy look at deep issues such as, fidelity, communication, passion and responsibility in a committed relationship.

The play, which relies heavily on the audience’s imagination, is designed to create erotic mental pictures, as the actors react to word. Additional effect is created during the sexually-charged scenes, with the auditorium thrown into darkness, enabling the audience to be immersed in imagined live action.

In the play, Asmau, a single mother, finds herself wandering in search of affection, which leads her to having an affair with her son-in-law, Dayo, after her daughter, Chioma, left her home for a man she met on Internet.

Chioma later returns home after months without the knowledge her mother is already having an affair with her husband. The intriguing events that follow is what gives the play its title.

Speaking with Edgar said, “the title of this play perfectly fits my mischievous nature. I’m a child of mischief. So, when my friend Azuka Ogujuiba invited me to the Freedom Park to see the play, I jumped at it. But I dare say what unfolded in my very eye before was to say the least mind numbing.”

“I decided to bring this production to the mainstream. To open it up to a larger audience, because of the themes Jude dared to touch in this scripted vehicle. The issues of emotional infidelity, lust, passion and marriage have held my attention since adolescence. I have been made aware of their power in shaping man and society. As a decidedly, prudish society, I have felt that this refusal by us to address and tackle these issues would continue to lead to the weakening of structures that ensure sanity in our communities. Hence, the need to shock us into the reality of infidelity in our relationships. “broke attendance records at the Agip Recital Hall, with over 4000 audience and as the most expensive theatre productions in recent times.”

“On this production, we have worked with a highly-talented cast led by the gifted Patrick Diabuah and the super talented Uzor Ozimkpa and Kemi Bickersteth . I enjoyed tremendous support of a powerful production team made up of Oiisa Adibua and Aiibaba with our ever so hard working associate producer, Mofoluwake Edgar.”

On what led to the play, Idada who also directed the script, said, “a lot of people were concerned about the topic. This play is all about exploring sexuality. I thought it was something that was worthy of discussion, because we have found ourselves in situations where we think we are in relationship with high fidelity not knowing our partners are having full blown affair over the Internet.