Against the lure of enjoying family bonding outside the city noise and traffic, Bolanle Austen-Peters Production prepares another box-office hit for the city’s theatre nuts with the classic story of heroism set to music, Queen Moremi the Musical. Yinka Olatunbosun reports
Bolanle Austen-Peters Production (BAP) and House of Oduduwa are collaborating to tell an authentic African story of the heroine of the Yoruba race, Queen Moremi in a musical set for December. As familiar as the title may sound, not a lot of people know the story of Moremi, the courageous woman who shaped our history and ethnic diplomacy.
From December 21, 2018 to January 2, 2019, Terra Arena will resonate with music and dance as stage lights intersect in sheer display of artistry.
The plot is hemmed on the fabric of the legend of Moremi, the daughter to one of Ife’s hunter-warriors, Lukugba and Princess Olunbe of Offa. She stood up for the oppressed and made a huge personal sacrifice for the sake of humanity.
While fielding questions from the press at a recent briefing to announce the musical, Bolanle Austen-Peters said the performances may be stretched depending on popular demand.
Last year, BAP took on a daunting task in researching about the women behind the music of the Afrobeat musician and pan-Africanist to produce “Fela and the Kalakuta Queens.”
This year, BAP seems to be towing the feminist line with yet another story that explores the role of women in changing history with Queen Moremi the Musical.
“l am a woman. I believe in equal rights,” said the lawyer and cultural entrepreneur, Austen-Peters. “We have more than enough folklores to generate enough content from”.
Princess Ronke Ademiluyi, the face of the House of Oduduwa at the briefing remarked that the story shows the strength of a woman.
“We should remember her for the good deeds that she did. We should tell our African story,” she said.
Starring Kehinde Bankole, Femi Branch, Deyemi Okanlawon, Bimbo Manuel, Lala Akindoju, Bambam of Big Brother Nigeria, this musical is arguably set to be the longest-running theatre production of the year.
Interestingly too, this is the first time that BAP productions will be staging a non-contemporary show which will predictably elicit rave reviews from the critical audience.
The opening night has as special guest, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi.
