Covering the king’s nudity

Joke Silva’s Lufodo Productions gave theatre lovers a treat with ‘The King Must Dance Naked’, Fred Agbeyegbe’s masterpiece, which speaks to current events in the country, including leadership and the tension between tradition and social change.

Some 30 years after playing Queen Odosun in Pa Fred Agbeyegbe’s famous play, ‘The King Must Dance Naked’, actress Joke Silva masterfully executive produced the play at Yuletide and into the first week of the New Year.

The play, which ran on December 23rd, 24th, 29th and 30th, and January 5th and 6th, climaxed at the historical Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos Island, on Sunday, January 7, with eminences taking in the spectacle. They included ex-Lagos State Governor and Works Minister Babatunde Fashola and his wife, Abimbola; ex-governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Bisi; Lagos State Commissioner for Culture, Art and Tourism Mrs Toke Benson, who stood in for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the 88-year-old playwright, and Pa Ayo Opadokun.

The evergreen play parading a stellar cast, including Edmond Enaibe (Atseburukuajagbo), Gloria Young (Queen Odosun), Toyin Oshinaike (Narrator), Albert Akaeze (Ogodobiri), Seyi Fasuyi (Afinotan), Efe Mayford-Orhorha (Ogbemi), Omololu Sodiya (Ololo), Mike Okorie (Ofioto), and Smart Adejumo (Jolomi) pulsated with music, dance and drama.

The thoroughbred artists were assured in their delivery. They brought energy to the production to the delight of the audience, including Pa Agbeyegbe, who beamed with smiles at the beautiful presentation of his play, which speaks to, among others, accountability, the country’s current bane.

As the play “woven around a man-woman riddle” shows, there’s always a price to pay for deceit. Beyond deceit and leadership ineptitude, ‘The King Must Dance Naked’ also spotlights the intricate relationship between the gods and society, reflecting on culture, tradition, leadership, and how they intersect.

Princess Omajuwa is crowned king following the disappearance of her half-brother, Prince Omagbemi. It is, however, not an ordinary disappearance as Queen Odosun, Omajuwa’s mum, had earlier plotted to kill Omagbemi. At birth, and on consultation with the gods on what the future holds for Omajuwa and her twin brother, Afinotan, the oracle reveals that the female child is destined to succeed her father as king. This is seen as a taboo, which must not happen.

Queen Odosun believes she had tricked the gods when substituting the female child with the male immediately before the sacrifice. She deceives the people of Ogbodume by presenting Omajuwa as the male successor to the throne, but there are consequences.

Famine, drought, and diseases plagued the land, with the King’s inability to procreate cited as the cause. The deceit is eventually uncovered, and the only solution to the kingdom’s problems, per the oracle, is for the king to dance naked in the presence of the chiefs. Does she do it?

Actress Joke Silva addressed the audience before serving the sumptuous spectacle and after Oyin Sax, whose father, the late Jide Ogungbade, was the first-ever director of the play, entertained with folk songs.

She expressed gratitude for their presence and highlighted the play’s historic nature at a landmark venue her company, Lufodo Productions, manages in partnership with Ciuci Consulting.

“I’m honoured to have everyone here today. It’s a historic day, a historic night because you have come to a place of history, the Glover Memorial, built in 1887 and rebuilt in 1962. We took over a culture and heritage enterprise; Glover Memorial Hall is situated in the heart of Lagos Island, a place of enterprise and heritage. Herbert Macaulay, Alimotu Pelewura, Nnamdi Azikwe, and Chief Obafemi Awolowo graced this stage. This is where they all had the beginning of oratory. The late Hubert Ogunde and the Duro Ladipos all began here, so we feel honoured to manage this place.

“What you are going to witness is a play that celebrates culture. This play has a long history. The young man who played the saxophone is the son of the first-ever director of ‘The King Must Dance Naked’. In 1992/93, Olu Jacobs, Aunty Taiwo Ajayi Lycett, Richard Mofe- Damijo and a host of us played in ‘The King Must Dance Naked.’”

That famous 1992/1993 production by the National Troupe of Nigeria was directed by the late Uncle Bayo Oduneye.

The actress added that the play was also staged at the London 2012 Olympics, with a packed hall throughout its run. They chose it this time to celebrate the playwright, a lawyer and poet.

“It is positive, and also right as we celebrate Uncle Fred at 88 because everybody who has played in ‘The King Must Dance Naked’,  your career takes off. It is not the easiest of plays to do; it has a lot of technical difficulties, but the director has done a very good job, and it’s left for you to decide.”

The curtains fell on a happy note with a birthday cake cut for Pa Agbeyegbe, author of other plays, including ‘Budiso’, ‘Woe Unto Death’ and ‘The Last Omen’. A lawyer, Pa Agbeyegbe began writing plays at 14. He initiated the landmark AJOFEST, a festival of Arts and Drama, from 1983 to 1986, collaborating extensively with the late director, Jide Ogungbade.