‘It’d be challenge to write and then act a film’

Weekend Magazine: Could you tell us about yourself? Tunde Aldese: I was born and raised in Lagos, the third child and first girl in a family of six children. I studied English at the University of Ibadan, a choice made mostly because I was happy to take any valid excuse to read even more books.What […]

Weekend Magazine: Could you tell us about yourself?
Tunde Aldese: I was born and raised in Lagos, the third child and first girl in a family of six children. I studied English at the University of Ibadan, a choice made mostly because I was happy to take any valid excuse to read even more books.
What is the experience like being an actress and screenwriter?
I have a lot more experience with one than the other. In some ways, I think there might be a bit of a frustrated actor in many screenwriters, in the sense that while writing dialogue one often verbalizes and acts out the lines, investigates the motivations, finds oneself making the expressions.
I think it definitely helps screenwriters to be able to put themselves in the shoes of every character they write for, and completely believe in their actions. So, when I found myself having to actually perform, I did my best to flip that process, to approach it from the other end, starting off with the end result and trying to get back to the motivations behind the character’s actions. And I think my experience as a writer helped feed that process.
Were you able to disassociate yourself as a potential cast from your writing?
I think it would be a challenge to write for something, I’m already aware that I would have to perform. Time and experience might prove me wrong, but I think it could get in the way of allowing that character to be all they could be.
I can tell you honestly that with things I’ve performed, when I realized I was actually going to have to do them, there was some dreaded thoughts that I was going to have to say those words I’d written; act out those things, which when I was writing them, I believed would end up as someone else’s problem.
As long as someone else has to deal with performing it, there’s nothing you can’t write. Once you know you’re writing for yourself, there’s the danger of subconsciously blocking off anything you wouldn’t be so eager to do. And that would mean you weren’t challenging yourself as an actress.
Could you tell us about the ‘V-Monologues’ and how you became a part of it?
I can’t remember how I got recommended to Wole Oguntokun as a writer,  but I was invited to be a part of the project. I attended the workshop, heard many moving and troubling stories about the female Nigerian experience and the challenges therein- with sexuality, domestic violence, female genital mutilation, etc. I ended up writing four pieces for the show. During the writing workshop, we would read what we had written to the group.
Based on my reading, Wole asked if I would like to perform in the show. The offer was both thrilling and terrifying. I answered yes quickly so I wouldn’t give myself time to think of all the reasons why I shouldn’t.
What were your dreams growing up?
Primarily to be a writer, a storyteller! I’ve always enjoyed that. I enjoyed other forms of storytelling as well. I was always a member of the drama club in primary school; with secondary school came self-consciousness and anti-social, rebel-without-a-cause attitudes.
I wrote and directed plays and sometimes performed. I also enjoyed writing terrible songs and inflicting my siblings with impromptu concerts. (Laughter) The thing about writing is you don’t really need anyone else to do it, like you do with the other forms. All I would need was a pen, an empty notebook and whatever random idea had popped into my head today and I was off and running, up till all hours of the night. Strangely enough, while I had some sort of fantasy of a life spent typing away by a window with a view of a lake (back in the 80s early 90s when we still used typewriters, even if I personally didn’t know how to use one), I was very aware that it was a fantasy. I did not think it was something I could make a living doing if I stayed in Nigeria. So, the fact that I do so now is a pleasant surprise.
Looking back when you started, how would you evaluate yourself?
In many ways I’m proud of the things I have achieved. Surprised by them to a certain extent, but I’m also happy that I have enough dissatisfaction to keep me hungry, keep me wanting to try new and different things.
Who is Tunde Aladese off screen and writing?
Non-existent? (Laughter) I do spend a huge chunk of my life at work. When I’m not doing that, I like to catch up with friends and family, work on music, read. I love to go to the movies, especially the early morning shows when the halls are practically empty.
I’ve been described as an adventurous eater. I love to travel, I wish I could afford to do more of it. With socializing, as with many other things, I derive its value from its rarity.
Could you share your first scriptwriting experience?
Ha! It did not bode well. I had a job developing ideas for radio programmes and some of my proposals were shown to a producer who was in the country to develop a radio drama series for the BBC. I got invited to two workshops (this was back when I had no clue what a writers’ workshop was) and the consensus both times seemed to be that I had trouble expressing myself. Which is why I assumed I wasn’t called back? Expression aside though, it was an exciting experience for me, the idea that people were paying me to do what I had would stay up till 2 in the morning on a school night doing a decade before, just for fun. It was interesting working with other writers, studying their systems and the way they weren’t cowed by crazy deadlines.
How was it the first time you acted?
It was performing in the ‘V-Monologues’. It was a good thing I didn’t know when I wrote them that I would be performing them. In some ways it made it easy for me, because I understood every line in those monologues better than anyone, I knew what thought went into each one. But in other ways, it was a real challenge. A writer hides behind the safety of their computer.
Suddenly, I was supposed to be performing something on stage, making myself larger than life, and stretching my imagination as to how those words could be delivered and presenting them to judging eyes right in front of me. It meant embracing the freedom to be this other extreme version of a human, particularly so because it was a stage performance. And there were some things, like the idea of being deliberately sexy or sexual, that I honestly had trouble wrapping my head around. Luckily, between the director and some of the brilliant and experienced actresses on the show, I got some good guidance.
What informs your decision to take on role?
I really can’t say, seeing as I don’t have that much acting experience. So far, it has been partly the thought ‘hell, I haven’t done that before’ and partly enjoying the chance to be a part of something I thought was fresh and exciting.
Your character in ‘Confusion na wa’ had quite some lip on her. She was saucy, sassy and foul-mouthed as Toni Kan describes her. Could you share that experience playing her?
Yes, she’s not the nicest person in the world, is she? (Laughter) The first time I read the script, I thought it was hilarious, but in the midst of her, I was thinking – I have to be this bitch? She’s somewhat amoral, selfish, cruel and deceitful; and not very bright or realistic at first glance. I had to go for the writer in me and understand who this woman was and why she made the choices she did.
Getting my head around that made it a little easier. The director and I also discussed her wardrobe and the rationale behind it in spite of her husband’s financial situation and it made sense.  After that it became about the challenges of actually being on set. I had two-three shoot days for all my scenes. I started off slow and then my schedule got really intense so that I ended up shooting a large chunk of my scenes overnight after being up during the day and then doing the last batch after only about an hour of sleep. Exhausting and exhilarating. I would have maybe liked to do more with the performance, maybe take the character a bit further, but I’m glad that the director and producers are happy with what they got.
You’ve acted on stage and on screen. Which has been the more fun for you?
The experiences were quite different. In some ways on screen it was easier, because you don’t have that moment of vulnerability as you take your position in front of an entire room of people. When you do the scene it’s more insular, it’s you and the actor(s) you’re playing off, and the other people don’t exist until someone says ‘cut’. Shooting ‘Confusion Na Wa’ was a bit of a quickie, in some ways over before you knew it had begun. The ‘V-Monologues’ was more involving- weeks of rehearsals, then two-six weeks of weekends performing. There was time bond and tease in rehearsals, giggle backstage and mess up on stage and try to recover while watching your cast mates out of the corner of your eye trying to bite their lips and hold back their laughter. But like I said, I was only on the set for a short time, a longer shoot would have meant more experiences, and we did try to get a little fun in for the limited time we were in Kaduna shooting, I think.
Do you still model?
I don’t think I ever really did. Even right from my early days as a scriptwriter, what I was paid back then is still more than I was ever paid to model anything. Yes, I have some nice pictures in stock which were taken by some really talented photographers, but I don’t really think of myself as a model. Some people tell me I’m just being difficult.
What informs your fashion sense?
Some people’s opinion would be ‘a lack of’ (laughter), but seriously, I just go with what I feel. I have never been much of a trend follower, possibly because a lot of the time the trends tended to highlight how skinny I was, and not in a flattering way.
I’m almost passive and aggressive in wearing what I like even if it makes no sense to anyone else, but I think my tastes and prevailing trends and dovetailing a bit more these days (or maybe I’m just finding nicer places to shop). I like hats (bowler, top, cloche, newsboy, name it). I go casual a lot- jeans with flats or sneakers, but I also get quite excited by the opportunity to dress up from time to time (cue the raised eyebrow and the question ‘is that your idea of dressing up?’)
What projects are you working on?
Nothing conclusive enough for me to be able to mention yet, whether as a writer or an actor. I’m still Head Writer on ‘Tinsel’ at the moment, while squeezing in the time here and there for some other potential projects, whether personal or otherwise.