Lala Akindoju returns With one woman show, Naked

The Make It Happen Productions (TMIHP) and The Performing Arts Workshop and Studios (PAWS) have announced plans for the second run of Naked, starring the versatile Kemi ‘Lala’ Akindoju.

Following its premiere in February 2018, as part of the British Council’s Lagos Theatre Festival, the one-woman show was met with applause and positive reviews – a first of its kind in Lagos.

“One-person shows aren’t the easiest of endeavors to pull off.

The burden of single handedly holding an audience’s attention for a period of time isn’t one that every actor cares to take on, but Akindoju, an accomplished stage actress and producer, harbors no such fears,” Wilfred Okiche, said.

Directed by Kenneth Uphopho, who is also the co-founder of The Performing Arts Workshop and Studios (PAWS), the play will run through August 10 (4pm for female students and 7pm to the public), 11 and 12, running three shows per day (at 3pm, 5pm and 7pm), at the Presidential Suite of Eko Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos.

Naked is a one woman show that takes audience on an intimate journey of the highs, lows, achievements and failures of a young woman’s experiences as she navigates through life, love, career and finding her path.

This is done using deep thoughts that are usually never shared with others and is a raw honest look behind the human mask.

“To see Naked– written by spoken word poet, Titilope Sonuga- is to take a peep into the mind of an artiste.

Instantly relatable, yet sufficiently refreshing, Naked peels back the layers to uncover the issues that a lot of creatives struggle with on the daily.

Insecurity, scarcity, feelings of worthlessness, social media scrutiny and harassment,” Okiche said.

TMIHP and PAWS kick off the second run of the play with the celebration of women and the power that can be generated by the collaboration of women in all industries with Naked acted, written, and produced by all women.

“I’m more excited to be collaborating with some of the best people in this industry.

I’m honored and grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with these people especially because they are like family.

Like I said, collaborations make dreams come alive quicker,” Akindoju said.

Akindoju herself, founder of The Make It Happen Productions (TMIHP) and Brenda Uphopho, co-founder of The Performing Arts Workshop and Studios (PAWS), produced Naked, with Oludara Egerton Shyngle as associate producer.