"V Monologues: The Nigerian Story" in Abuja

I watched the second showing of the V Monologues in Abuja on Friday and all I can say is: Ayaya yaya!Fantastic script, fantastic cast, fantastic acting.

It is a stunning production. With just a dozen seasoned actresses and a handful of men on drums, director Wole Oguntokun takes the internationally-renowned Vagina monologues and turns it into an accurate retelling and long overdue tribute to lives of millions of Nigerian women.

The script seamlessly tackles widowhood, rape, incest, domestic violence and female sexuality with depth and humor. In the opening scene, Kemi Akindoju's character fumes with both love and hate towards her incestuous daddy. In another, a misinformed, born-again woman (Omonor Imobhio) stops her first orgasm on her wedding night to cast out the"evil" sensations. A few scenes later, Tunde Aladese explains to her in-laws why she grabbed her husband's manhood--and threatens to do worse the next time around!

If feelings make you uncomfortable, there's no walking out or closing your ears against the intensity during this show. The in-your-face storytelling will find you either singing along with the characters, or frozen in stunned silence, or breaking into hysterical laughter and crazy applause.

The V monologues boldly captures the real life stories that go untold, unseen and unaddressed in the hearts of countless girls and women. To the writers, cast and director of V Monologues: The Nigerian Story, I say:

Well done. Encore. Encore! Where and when can I get a DVD?

For more details on the showings check out the director's blog, here