Musical hit makes it from the Lagos stage to London
Love, power, money and thwarted dreams set to an Afrobeat. Those are the essential ingredients of Wakaa! The Musical, a Nigerian stage production set to hit London later this month.
A runaway success in Lagos last year, the musical follows the fate of a group of graduates who strike a wager before setting out on their chosen paths in life.
Through its four characters, — Kike, Tosan, Ngozi and Rex — London audiences will get a taste of life as lived by young Nigerians today.
From the idealism of a young doctor and a political mover and shaker to the get-rich-quick dreams of a sunny-natured dancer and the gilded existence of a rich businessman’s daughter, Wakaa explores their trials and successes, all with a healthy dose of political satire thrown in.
For Kike, the spoilt and overindulged daughter of a wealthy Nigerian, life is one long holiday. She sees herself as first lady one day, but in the meantime she wants to focus on her favourite activities — shopping and luxury travel.
Tosan, who falls in love with Kike, could not be more different. A radical revolutionary, he dreams of a better Nigeria for the common people and works hard to try to make a difference. But politics can be a murky business in Nigeria, one of the world’s most corrupt countries, and everything is not always what it seems, as Tosan soon discovers to his cost.
Ngozi is another idealist: a doctor who returns to her village to give something back to the community. After years of studying, she is determined to use her education to help stop child trafficking and child labour.
Then there is Rex, the happy-golucky dancer set on making his fortune, and making it fast. He knows what poverty is like and wants nothing more to do with it.
Writer and producer Bolanle Austen-Peters describes Wakaa as the story of “a young guy who wants to leave Nigeria to live the fast life in London, but then he discovers the grass is not always greener elsewhere”.
Actress Dolapo Oni said the musical’s story resonated with her after her own experience of living and working abroad.
“I wasn’t really happy where I was in my career,” said Oni, who spent 18 years in Britain where she trained and worked before deciding to return to Nigeria six years ago.
“I was coming to Nigeria more and more to see my family and I just saw that the industry was moving forward so I decided to move all my stuff back and I haven’t left since.”
The musical’s transfer from Lagos to London is a triumph for AustenPeters, for whom it has been a labour of love. It opens at the Shaw Theatre on July 21.
Originally a lawyer, she began an arts centre, Terra Kulture, in Lagos several years ago.
After getting started with plays, she moved on to musicals and the audience grew. Wakaa is her second musical.
Austen-Peters says she would love to see more theatre in the city.
“We are creating jobs and we are bringing professionalism,” she added.
The musical is the first time a Nigerian theatre production has transferred to London.
“We believe it is time for Nigerians abroad as well as the international community to see that Nigeria exports more than oil,” AustenPeters said. — AFP