Orita (The Crossroads), a production of Ajidans Studio, debuted at the Bradford African Festival of Arts (BAFA), in Bradford, New Yorkshire, England. This culturally rooted experience was a blend of drama, music, dance, and traditional Yoruba performance. Written and directed by Ajide Adeyemi, this Odu Ifá – Ìrosùn Méjì inspired production can be best described as Yoruba folk theatre.
At the heart of the story is the recurrent Yoruba motif of life at the crossroads, which is where an individual’s decisions can become one’s kismet. The story is set in Ayédùn, a fictional kingdom, where a dramatic contest is being held for the young men who wish to marry Princess Irokojigbini. The worthy suitor is expected to be the one who demonstrates extraordinary power, wisdom, and maturity. Throughout the performance, the message is clear: physical strength alone does not translate to leadership or suitability. Instead, true power, wisdom, and maturity are expressed by one’s integrity and sense of responsibility.
To clearly express its message, the motifs of Fire and Rain are explored as characters and contrasted throughout the play. A metaphorical return to the crossroads at the end of the play is also portrayed to inspire the audience to think carefully about their choices and to choose wisdom and peace over pride and anger. Orita (The Crossroads) also stood out at BAFA because of the integration of Yoruba oral performance in the theatrical storytelling. From the prologue, Bata and Dundun drums were introduced to set the cultural atmosphere of the play. This infusion of rhythm and performance energy established the distinctive Yoruba visuals and cultural presence of the production, as well as demonstrated that indigenous African folk performances can feature in modern theatre, while retaining their cultural identity. Rather than treat dance as a decorative addition to the play, Orita (The Crossroads) incorporated choreography and percussion as integral parts of the dramatic language of the performance.
A major strength of the production was the cast ensemble and the choice of thespians. All the actors brought their skill and craft to the fore, during the performance; however, the talent and artistic skill of Timothy Oyindamola Fagbamila, the versatile actor and dancer who goes by the stage name, “Damodance”, and who played the multi-roles of “Opaleye”, “Molayo”, and “Villager” proved to be one of the major highlights of the play. For an actor cast in multiple supporting roles, Fagbamila’s gift shone as his characters turned out to be the most unforgettable features of the production.
One of Fagbamila’s characters, Opaleye – one of the contenders for the hand of Princess Irokojigbini – may have lost the contest to Kolapo, but his embodiment of the role and his performance of other characters like Molayo, and Villager and as well his rhythmic movements and acrobatics display made him stand out as an artiste to watch out for. This genius was displayed not only in his utilisation of Bata dance to reinforce his roles, thereby showing that traditional dance is an essential storytelling tool, but in his articulation and delivery of his lines. One of Opaleye’s main tasks as a character was to introduce the philosophical concerns of the play. With Opaleye, the audience was kept in tandem with the production’s wider objective, which is to beam the light on power, morality, and human responsibility. This ability to hold and sustain the audience’s attention made, not just Opaleye but Fagbamila, an easy favourite of the audience. This excellence is consistent whenever Fagbamila makes an appearance on stage, whether as Molayo or Villager. This immersion of the audience into the play enhanced the overall quality of the production for several reasons; it closed the distance between the performers and the audience, reflected the African communal character, and gave the production the interactive quality that is typical of Yoruba folk theatre.
Using visual aesthetics, rhythm, and actors like Fagbamila who, with their craft and skill, can bring words to life, Orita (The Crossroads) successfully combines theatre, dance, drumming, chants, storytelling, and cultural symbolism to substantiate that Yoruba folk performance is enduring and borderless and that it can also find expressions within contemporary British arts spaces. Additionally, Fagbamila’s excellent portrayal of multi-roles can be perceived a metaphor for the crossroad motif in which one’s disposition to life’s challenges becomes the determinant of their fate. Hence, the production and cast of Orita (The Crossroads) are proof that beyond cultural preservation, African theatre remains an active tool for storytelling and for the transmission of morals and values.
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Fagbamila Shines at BAFA
Orita (The Crossroads), a production of Ajidans Studio, debuted at the Bradford African Festival of Arts (BAFA), in Bradford, New Yorkshire, England. This culturally rooted experience was a blend of drama, music, dance, and traditional Yoruba performance. Written and directed by Ajide Adeyemi, this Odu Ifá – Ìrosùn Méjì inspired production can be best described as Yoruba folk theatre.
At the heart of the story is the recurrent Yoruba motif of life at the crossroads, which is where an individual’s decisions can become one’s kismet. The story is set in Ayédùn, a fictional kingdom, where a dramatic contest is being held for the young men who wish to marry Princess Irokojigbini. The worthy suitor is expected to be the one who demonstrates extraordinary power, wisdom, and maturity. Throughout the performance, the message is clear: physical strength alone does not translate to leadership or suitability. Instead, true power, wisdom, and maturity are expressed by one’s integrity and sense of responsibility.
To clearly express its message, the motifs of Fire and Rain are explored as characters and contrasted throughout the play. A metaphorical return to the crossroads at the end of the play is also portrayed to inspire the audience to think carefully about their choices and to choose wisdom and peace over pride and anger. Orita (The Crossroads) also stood out at BAFA because of the integration of Yoruba oral performance in the theatrical storytelling. From the prologue, Bata and Dundun drums were introduced to set the cultural atmosphere of the play. This infusion of rhythm and performance energy established the distinctive Yoruba visuals and cultural presence of the production, as well as demonstrated that indigenous African folk performances can feature in modern theatre, while retaining their cultural identity. Rather than treat dance as a decorative addition to the play, Orita (The Crossroads) incorporated choreography and percussion as integral parts of the dramatic language of the performance.
A major strength of the production was the cast ensemble and the choice of thespians. All the actors brought their skill and craft to the fore, during the performance; however, the talent and artistic skill of Timothy Oyindamola Fagbamila, the versatile actor and dancer who goes by the stage name, “Damodance”, and who played the multi-roles of “Opaleye”, “Molayo”, and “Villager” proved to be one of the major highlights of the play. For an actor cast in multiple supporting roles, Fagbamila’s gift shone as his characters turned out to be the most unforgettable features of the production.
One of Fagbamila’s characters, Opaleye – one of the contenders for the hand of Princess Irokojigbini – may have lost the contest to Kolapo, but his embodiment of the role and his performance of other characters like Molayo, and Villager and as well his rhythmic movements and acrobatics display made him stand out as an artiste to watch out for. This genius was displayed not only in his utilisation of Bata dance to reinforce his roles, thereby showing that traditional dance is an essential storytelling tool, but in his articulation and delivery of his lines. One of Opaleye’s main tasks as a character was to introduce the philosophical concerns of the play. With Opaleye, the audience was kept in tandem with the production’s wider objective, which is to beam the light on power, morality, and human responsibility. This ability to hold and sustain the audience’s attention made, not just Opaleye but Fagbamila, an easy favourite of the audience. This excellence is consistent whenever Fagbamila makes an appearance on stage, whether as Molayo or Villager. This immersion of the audience into the play enhanced the overall quality of the production for several reasons; it closed the distance between the performers and the audience, reflected the African communal character, and gave the production the interactive quality that is typical of Yoruba folk theatre.
Using visual aesthetics, rhythm, and actors like Fagbamila who, with their craft and skill, can bring words to life, Orita (The Crossroads) successfully combines theatre, dance, drumming, chants, storytelling, and cultural symbolism to substantiate that Yoruba folk performance is enduring and borderless and that it can also find expressions within contemporary British arts spaces. Additionally, Fagbamila’s excellent portrayal of multi-roles can be perceived a metaphor for the crossroad motif in which one’s disposition to life’s challenges becomes the determinant of their fate. Hence, the production and cast of Orita (The Crossroads) are proof that beyond cultural preservation, African theatre remains an active tool for storytelling and for the transmission of morals and values.
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