London’s Unicorn Theatre, will be celebrating Black History Month this year by showcasing a play all about Nigeria, which celebrated its 54th year of independence last week.
The play, titled How Nigeria Became: A Story and A Spear That Didn’t Work, is written and directed by award winning playwright Gbolahan Obisesan, whose 2011 play Mad About the Boy, earned him a Fringe First Award.
Set on the cusp Nigeria’s birth in 1914, exactly 100 years ago, How Nigeria Became takes the form of a play within a play. It tells the story of a group of actors preparing to put on a show for the British Governor and his wife. Alongside this is the story of The Spear of Shango, which is about ‘a young woman who must use her strength and agility to save her father’s kingdom’.
Described as a “colourful and quick-witted production which offers a creative insight into Nigeria’s beginnings in 1914”, the play is filled with music and dance, aimed at theatre goers aged 8 and over. The Unicorn will also be hosting a range of workshops which aims to engage young people with Nigeria’s history.
The play will run from 9th October to 9th November 2014 and stars Rita Balogun, Tunji Falani, Stephanie Levi-John, Rebecca Omogbehin and Christian Roe.
In addition to the play and the workshops, the Unicorn will also be celebrating Nigeria’s history by displaying the photographs of Nigerian Monarchs in the theatres foyer. The portraits are taken from George Osodi’s Nigerian Monarchs- The Custodians of Peace and Culture collection.
