By Dimeji Ogedengbe
Everybody say yeah yeah! That hook alone is enough to introduce the Afro beat king, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who still hits mainstream appeal years after his death.
A provocative hybrid of concert, dance and musical titled FELA! took the United States by surprise few
weeks back when the musical hit the highest nominations (11) at the Tony Awards putting it in a tie with another musical, La Cage Aux Folles.
The Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York has recorded massive invasion in the last week all thronging to watch the Bill T. Jones’ directed and choreographed musical – FELA, which has proven to be a surprising hit on Broadway despite the lack of big stars or hit songs.
The play chronicles the true story life story of Fela, defying a corrupt and oppressive military government and devoted his life and music to the struggle for freedom and human dignity. It was a triumphant tale of courage, passion and love.
The musical has put Nigeria and Fela’s name in the global media since the Broadway hit. Different countries of the world have signified interest in having FELA! shown in their cities according to the producers.
Watching the play on YouTube is like being right there in the New Year theatre. As Sahr Ngaujah, who played Fela delivered the chants, the moves; the hooks, one could easily relate to why Fela was called ‘abami eda’. The play depicted the deep spirituality in Fela’s music.
There was a moment in the show when Fela encountered an African-American woman named Sandra on a visit to Los Angeles.
As they shared their respective experiences – she as a child of the American civil rights movement, he as an activist against his country’s military dictatorship – their flirtatious, politically-charged banter heat up.
Soon they looked admiringly at one another with the same realisation: “We have a lot to learn from each other.”
Will Dbanj Land Role To Play Fela?
Contrary to speculations that Nigerian entertainer, Dbanj would play the role of Fela in the Broadway show, NET’s investigation has revealed that Dbanj was actually auditioned for the role but he was not cast due to unconfirmed reasons.
According to Fela’s eldest child Yeni Kuti who spoke to NET on the phone, Dbanj was part of the audition exercise in New York. ‘He auditioned for it few weeks ago but as far as I know he has not been cast yet. I spoke to them yesterday’, Yeni noted.
An inside source in Dbanj’s camp also confirmed to us that the Mo’hits act underwent the Broadway Musical audition for Fela’s role. ‘He went for the audition. It was even my friend that picked him from the JFK airport to the venue of the audition. When he finished, he called me and said baba it’s a big show o, they liked me…’ The source explained further that if Dbanj gets the role his fear is that it would affect all his shows and other engagements for the year as the Broadway musical will tour the world for months.
In a separate chat with NET, Femi Kuti registered his joy about the nominations and Dbanj’s role. ‘I’m happy we are being recognized outside the country. Dbanj’s role as Fela is not to my knowledge yet but if it’s true is it not good?’
However, a representative at the Broadway – The Eugene O’Neill Theatre affirmed to NET in a phone chat that the Sierra Leonean-American, Sahr Ngaujah and Kevin Mambo- a Zimbabwean-Canadian are still the two major casts alternating the role of Fela in the Broadway show.
In a separate quiz on Dbanj’s role as Fela, with a Chicago based American woman by the name Raychelle Levy, who claimed to have been monitoring updates on FELA! since it became a Broadway hit, she opined that she never came across any name as Dapo Oyebanjo (Dbanj) to play Fela’s role.
‘Dang! America is not patient with news, if there was such development it would have been all over the TV and Newspapers here, coz most of them have been talking about Fela and Nigeria since it got 11 Tony nods. The producers will never replace a lead cast that has won them many awards and recognition of this magnitude except the actor dies or pulls out willingly’
Hollywood To Shoot Fela Movie
Now it is getting more interesting, as everyone wants to identify with the Broadway hit titled FELA! which tells the true life story of the legendary Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who was inspired by his mother, a civil rights activist.
Fela stopped at nothing to convey the message of freedom, courage and anti corruption through his music, targeted at the incorrigible Nigerian leaders.
After the Broadway hit of Bill T. Jones produced musical (FELA!), a Hollywood producer has been granted the right to adapt Fela’s story into movie.
Hollywood actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor, a British actor of Nigerian parentage has officially been announced as the actor to play Fela in the biopic about the legendary musician and activist.
The movie is currently in development by Focus Features who secured the rights of Fela’s music and a book by Michael Veal titled “Fela: The life and Times of an African Musical Icon’. The movie will be directed by Steve McQueen.
Thirty five-year old Ejiofor was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 2001 (2000 season) for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Blue/Orange at the Royal National Theatre, Cottesloe stage. He was awarded the Jack Tinker Award for Most Promising Newcomer at the 2000 London Critics Circle. Theatre Awards (Drama) for his performance in Blue/Orange performed at the Royal National Theatre: Lyttelton and later at the Duchess Theatre.
He was awarded the 2000 London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in Blue/Orange. His father who was a Doctor died in a car accident when Chiwetel was eleven. Chiwetel survived the accident.
Although, doing justice to Fela’s music will take some real magic. Can Ejiofor be convincing on stage? Driven in part by drummer Tony Allen, will Chiwetel get the tunes, the rhythm and Fela’s moves right?
We’ll see.
