A novel, ‘Beautiful Wilderness’, comes to stage in Lagos

‘A Beautiful Wilderness,’ a novel written by Dupe Olorunjo is set to be adapted as a musical play in Lagos. Produced and directed by Gbenga Yusuf, the event is scheduled to run from February 14 to 16, 2020 at the AGIP Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre. “What is real and what is not is […]

‘A Beautiful Wilderness,’ a novel written by Dupe Olorunjo is set to be adapted as a musical play in Lagos.

Produced and directed by Gbenga Yusuf, the event is scheduled to run from February 14 to 16, 2020 at the AGIP Recital Hall of the MUSON Centre.

“What is real and what is not is left for the audience to decide,” Yusuf said.

The plot revolves around the stereotypically successful business tycoon that is Keanu Omira (played by Patrick Diabuah). Omira is an easily recognizable boss-man by any working-class subject as he believes he has got the world in his pocket. Being one who does not suffer lightly, he is bewildered when the rug is pulled from beneath his feet and takes off on a journey into the unknown. He must make a choice; to either retrace his steps or be lost forever.

The musical play parades actors like Tosin Adeyemi, Omololu Sodiya, Aisha Onitiri, Eden Attah and many others.

Produced by Seeing Through the Arts Production Company, it is described as a family show of humility and kindness. It explores a different kind of love that gives freely but expects nothing in return. The Executive Producer of the musical play and author of the novel ‘A Beautiful Wilderness’ said she believes that stories have the power to expose the reality of “where we stand and help us envision where we should be.”

“I have written four novels, all within the inspirational fiction genre, and my hope every day is that each one will continue to influence my audience to embrace life-changing possibilities, sometimes outside our normal reach,” Olorunjo said.

Talking about how she was inspired to write the novel, Olorunjo revealed that it happened while she was trapped in Lagos traffic one morning.

“I was sitting in the car, frustrated, when my eyes were drawn to a lame beggar. He must have just arrived and was unpacking his things including his begging bowl. I watched him closely and realized…this was his entire life; he wasn’t concerned with the traffic, with issues in the corporate world, the stock market, Lagos gossip, celebrities, owning a car, designer clothes… nothing. Then I also understood that he didn’t choose that world. In fact, each one of us in a different life, a different family, a different environment could have easily been sitting in that beggar’s shoes,” she said. “The story of ‘A Beautiful Wilderness’ from the beginning to the end was formed in my mind that morning. I trust that our exposure to this story will help us appreciate all we are and all we have including our blessings and the love God has surrounded us with.”

Yusuf recently produced and directed the acclaimed ‘Legends: the Musical’ and also produced and directed ‘Red Velvet,’ Waje’s first album concert. “It is not a regular story and so our decision to stage ‘Beautiful Wilderness’ during the Valentine period was intentional, because, the musical play shows us a different kind of love. It is the highest form of love…one that has depth,” he said.