Thursday 9 April 2015

Theatre Review: SaroTheMusical2

Easter edition, SaroTheMusical2; 100 Man Cast; Ran Through April 1-6. Show Duration: One Hour, 50 Mins.

A good musical has the tendency to excite its audience and put them in the middle of the narrative being portrayed. 

Theatre musicals offer a sincere expression of the characters’ emotional journey throughout the play. As compared to a movie, the audience shares a unique intimacy and responsiveness with the characters. 

SaroTheMusical2, a heartwarming story about four young musicians who migrate to Lagos from the countryside in search of better lives and careers, takes its storyline from the streets of Lagos and music from various African pop genres.

The proverbial hustle for success and love always makes for great drama as Laitan is reluctant to leave his love Rume, behind while still trying to achieve his dreams of being a musician in the big city. After an intense farewell between the lovers, the four friends begin their adventurous journey to Lagos without any knowledge of the city.


On arriving Lagos, the guys soon awaken to the realities of such a fast city, but survive the harsh welcome of the delinquent gentlemen of Lagos streets popularly known as ‘Agbero or Area boys’. One such encounter with these area boys served as a blessing in disguise and brought about a chance meeting with a top record label executive who eventually helps build their talent and lead them onto stardom. 

This exhilarating theatre piece incorporated significant aspects of Nigerian history such as the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, some reminiscing enactment of Fela and the evolving Nigerian music industry. The melodic rhythm of the musical was a mixture of indigenous and foreign compositions that kept the audience awestruck throughout the show. 














SaroTheMusical2 is definitely a good step in the right direction for theatre development in Nigeria. As it is recorded to be the recent most-watched theatre performance in Nigeria, attracting theatre-loving Nigerians, well-known celebrities and politicians. 

The producer, Bolanle Austen-Peters and the entire cast and crew, did an amazing job. The Bolanle Austen-Peters production house is definitely on my radar going forward — after seeing the show, I can attest to the spectacular work of this creative production team. 

If music be the food of love, it just might be a dish called SARO!

Written by Marian Balogun

3 comments:

  1. A review that stirs one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out epic theater - but the time, the time...Oh well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free", yeah!






























    A review that stirs one's one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out theater...but the time, the time. Well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free"

    ReplyDelete
  2. A review that stirs one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out epic theater - but the time, the time...Oh well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free", yeah!






























    A review that stirs one's one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out theater...but the time, the time. Well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free"

    ReplyDelete
  3. A review that stirs one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out epic theater - but the time, the time...Oh well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free", yeah!






























    A review that stirs one's one's craving for grandiose and colour-drenched all-stops-out theater...but the time, the time. Well, like Donny Hathaway sang, "Someday, we'll all be free"

    ReplyDelete