All arrangements have been made to take ‘The Only Jealousy of Emer’, a production by the Nigerian Carnival Ireland to Abuja and Lagos on Thursday and Saturday respectively
According to the pointsman of the production crew, ‘The Only Jealousy of
Emer’, the work of one of Ireland’s best known writers, William Butler
Yeats is in Nigeria due to special demands.
Adenuga, who is also a veteran Nigerian actor “Part of the Cuchulain
Cycle of five plays written by Yeats about the life and death of the mythic Irish hero Cuchulain; The Only Jealousy of Emer continues Yeats’ experiments with the Japanese Noh as a way of bringing onto the stage demons, ghosts and supernatural events as part of the natural world.
“Cuchulainhas killed his son and in grief attempts to fight the sea. Half
drowned, he lies in a state between life and death with his wife Emer and his mistress Eithne watching over him. But is he dead or is something far more sinister about to occur as these two women struggle to revive him?
“Yeats’approach to mythology, ritual and the supernatural resonates strongly with African culture and the exciting part of staging his plays with a Nigerian cast is that their work as actors naturally utilizes their approach to rhythm,movement, song and verse.”
The production features two well-known Nigerian actors who have lived in Dublin for many years, Deji and his wife, Yemi Adenuga, whose appearance will be of great interest in their native Nigeria.
Theplay’s Director, Ray Yeates (a former Deputy Artistic Director of The AbbeyTheatre) has directed many of Yeats’ plays in Ireland and the U.S. and recently directed this play at Torn Page in New York. In this production, Nigerian and Irish culture combine to create a unique
experience.
The Only Jealousy of Emer stars Yemi Adenuga, Deji Adenuga, Oluwayomi
Ogunyemi,Penelope Aniuzu and Deola Gimbiya
Theproduction is supported by Culture Ireland, Dublin City Council and IrishEmbassy in Nigeria.
Adenuga also informed that the production will taken to BON Hotel in Abuja on Thursday,April 12 and it starts by 7pm while the Lagos show will be on Saturday, April14 and will run from 4pm to 7pm.
