Olamide Babatunde, Lagos
In all the stories about the hustle and bustle of urban living, very few share the narratives of those whose freedom are the price they pay behind the high bars of correctional facilities. This is why Wole Oguntokun’s “Prison Chronicles” remains a stellar classic, years after it was written, and the choice of Nevana Productions for its 2020 edition of the Lagos theatre festival.
Lagos Theatre Festival is the biggest theatre festival in sub-Saharan Africa, the project partners with British Council, Nigeria, annually, to serve stage performances to lovers and converts of theatre.
The director of the play, Austine Onuoha has promised to give the audience an experience of a lifetime, “My approach to this is experiential theatre, where the audience is close enough to the play, almost taking part in it, this dynamic style makes for greater audience participation and matches the festival theme –‘Going out of Bounds’. It is my sincere desire that people leave with reflections about our country’s correctional facilities.”
It is exciting to note that nothing gets more real than the choice of the venue, which would be the prison cell blocks in freedom park, affording the audience the promised closer interaction, a real 3D experience.
Prison Chronicles is a satire, granting us authentic perspectives from inmates ranging from a witty fraudster, a man of the Law gone rogue, a multi-count murderer, a falsely accused convict and the hilariously diligent Warder and first lady, his wife.
Featuring a cast of professionals, Ohye Harry, Achalugo Chioma Ezekobe, Stanley Okeke, Chibuikem Chris and Adeniran Olamilekan, the stage play will take the audience on a journey that would make them think, sad, and laugh at the same time.
Prison Chronicles will be showing on February 28 at 5.00 pm, February 29 at 4.00 pm and 6.00 pm and March 1 at 3.00 pm and 5.00 pm.
