By Anote Ajeluorou
After an explosive Christmas performance that rocked Lagos
cultural circuit to the roots, asking for more would just as well be in place.
This is the charge Bolanle Austin-Peters and crew must brace up to in the
months to come. Saro the Musical in
2013 was cool, as it were, set particularly apart by the fixed stages it was
performed at Oriental Hotel. There was no need to have to move the props and
set up for another stage. It made for minimal time lag. However, the story
seemingly dragged.
But by late last
year, some of the excesses have been cut away. What remained was a lean and
extremely precise story performed with equal precision. It delighted the
audience to no end.
When the show opened
on December 23, 2014 in its six-day long run, the first of such production in a
long while, it seemed like a dream. By show time 7pm, Executive Producer,
Austin-Peters, showed signs of nervousness. The seats inside Shell Hall, MUSON
Centre, Onikan, were less than half filled. It was two days to Christmas, and
as was customary with the city, a massive traffic gridlock held Lagosians to
ransom on the roads. The city was on a
traffic lockdown. It didn’t look as if going to see a play was the best way to
spend the evening.
But Lagosians had
been so teased, so cajoled and their appetite so whetted by the deluge of
promotional messages on all media that staying away from such appetizing treat
wasn’t an option either. By half the hour and in trickles, the audience began
to take their seats. To kick off the show the seating arrangement was
collapsed; no more VIP seats and the breath-taking musical journey started for
four young boys on the adventure of their lives. It’s a journey that also
showcased the lifestyles of Lagos in all its totality, a unique city that
magnets all sorts of people to itself.
By the time the show
was barely halfway, the hall had filled up to the number of arranged seats.
Just about then, too, All Progressives Congress’ presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari (rtd), his campaign organization director and Rivers State governor,
Rotimi Amaechi, APC’s governorship candidate for Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El
Rufai, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora and other APC bigwigs were ushered into the hall
and seats brought upfront for them to sit. It caused a stir, as the General
waved to mild applause from the audience. It turned out a major boost for the
entire cast and crew. Austin-Peters couldn’t hide her excitement at the
endorsement the surprise visit gave her pet project.
It was terra Kulture’s
General Manager, Mr. Joseph Omoibom, who put the visit in cultural perspective,
its implication for culture, especially coming from a man seeking elective
office for the highest post in the land.
According to
Omoibom, “Buhari’s visit wasn’t planned. He heard about the show and indicated
interest to attend and he came. It was great to have him. It’s good for people
in high places to support the arts. We actually wish we have more people in
high places supporting the arts; it encourages the artists and producers to do
more”.
On whether such
gesture as the one Buhari demonstrated for Saro
the Musical 2 wasn’t just a flash in the political pan that hardly
transmute into serious artistic and cultural policy of government when such
personages assumed office, Omoibom said that could only be seen when the time
comes.
He, however,
stressed, “At Terra Kulture and Saro the
Musical, we’re just promoting the arts; we’re not partisan at all as the
entire Nigeria’s artistic and cultural landscape is our constituency. Let those
in high places do it for whatever reasons – political, economic, artistic,
cultural or even selfish – what is important is that all Nigerians should
support the arts. That is what is important to us in our promotion of the arts
through our various projects like Saro
the Musical”.
Although it wasn’t a
political contest, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for Lagos State,
Mr. Jimi Agbaje, also showed up at one of Saro
the Musical 2’s 11 performances.
It all gave added colour to the premier show of the last part of the year.
However, the same
question needs to be asked of Agbaje as governor. Would Agbaje as governor of
Lagos State give impetus to cultural expressions by actively supporting them?
Would Agbaje undertake to construct purpose-built cultural spaces for
performances? Would he revive the moribund Lagos State Arts Council or as Mr.
Ben Tomoloju charged, would he build theatres in each council area for the
expression of creative talent? Would a fund be set aside for artists to access
for production and get youths employed thereby?
These are questions
all those seeking political offices must resolve, and quickly, too. With
rapidly falling oil prices, a need to look elsewhere for economic salvation has
become more expedient. Looking towards Abuja for revenue-sharing might soon be
a thing of the past and all other avenues of economic growth must be explored.
The arts and cultural sector offers a healthy alternative even while it has
been grossly neglected over time.
…AND, for six long days Saro
the Musical 2 seized Lagos by the jugular. It was unprecedented, with the
last day and last show capping off a major cultural show. The Shell Hall could
barely contain the audience, as additional seats were brought in to accommodate
the huge audience. Even the walkways and close to the doors had seats. To cap
it all, it was a terrific show and Lagosians loved it judging by the sheer
numbers that attended.
As Austin-Peters
summed up, live theatre has promise if only the right show can be offered
Lagosians like Saro the Musical 2.
But after Saro the Musical 2, what next for the
coming of age adventure musical showcasing four boys’ journey from the village
to the city of Lagos to discover their destinies? Saro the Musical 3, of course! Although a show put up by Don Ceeto
and his adopted four boys and his assistant, Jane, came off nicely, the journey
need not stop there. Exploiting their musical career maximally should perhaps
be the next stage to be explored. How did they fare after that remarkable debut
performance? How did they fare in the continuing tutelage of Don Ceeto? Did
they break off from his tutelage and go their own ways? What became the musical
dynamics of the group?
Music director for Saro, Ayo Ajayi, has a chance here to
set the hiphop pace he once boasted. He would need to dig deep into his musical
mastery and really offer a way forward for Nigerian hiphop in setting a trend
in a Saro the Musical 3 where the
four boys make musical hits and we get to see their different lifestyles as
independent artists away from Don Ceeto. That perhaps is one way of going about
extending the Saro musical legacy and
lifestyle of Austin-Peters’ imagining…
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