Tolu Adesua-Etomi (Wife of Waffi/Alice)
Tolu graduated with a first class in Drama and Performance, from the University of Wolverhampton, with additional studies in musical and physical theatre. Due to her strength and versatility in singing, she is choir leader of the youth musical group – The Generation. Her production credits include Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar, and John in Miss Saigon. She recently worked as a TV presenter with HIP TV and awarded a recipient of the Four Sight Theatre Award in physical theatre.
Tobi Bamtefa (Chairman/Nikori)
A graduate of Business Law and Sociology, Tobi comes from a family of artists. He is a budding writer, poet, actor, singer, and percussionist. He has performed for the National Theatre in Nigeria as well as University of Lagos since the age of 7. His productions include – Clash of the Ants, A Tale of Two Cities, whilst he has also worked on the well-known film “Saworoide” with actors such as Kunle Bamtefa, Kunle Afolayan, Doyin Hassan and Tunde Kelani. Some of his more recent stage productions include, “Oliver Twist” in which he played “Bill Sykes” and “Mr Bumble” as well as playing “Ike” in “The Wedlock of the Gods” by Zulu Sofola.
Olayiwola Ishola (Reeve/Rabiu)
A graduate of Computer Aided Engineering from South Bank University, his passion for the stage, music, and dancing brought his talents to stage productions. He gathered experience doing religious plays at worship venues and is an active member of his church choir, and plays the drums. The Miller’s Tale: Wahala Dey is his first major production and has shown natural passion and adaptability in taking on three different roles in the play before settling down to the character of Rabiu.
Nathan Adabadze (Professor/Abusolon)
A final year student of Information Management and Business Studies at Loughborough University, Nathan has an over-riding passion for the dramatic arts over his academic inclination, which led to his production experiences in Harm’s Way and Out of Me with the National Youth Theatre, England. He performed with the National Youth Music Theatre in the play, The Dreaming whilst The Badac Theatre Company also had him in cast when it took the play Little Girl Lost to Bologna.
Peter Olorunnisomo (Miller/Carpenter)
A veteran of TV (NTA) Play of the Week series, and stage plays, Peter has played Kurunmi in Prof. Ola Rotimi’s classic epic Kurunmi, the Headmaster in Midnight Hotel in Nigeria. He wrote and directed Darts (a festival first for the South Norwood Arts Festival, 2010) and co-ordinated production of The Meeting at the Warehouse Theatre. Moreover, he is a published author and poet, including, A Snake in the King’s Palace, Miffed, Chains and Rings (poetry); Poems for Chilubula, Zambia, Portraits of Twenty Nigerian Writers, Association of Nigeria Authors, Lagos, The Shuttle, University of Lagos (anthologies) et al. He is also a radio/TV presenter/commentator and contributes to various arts tabloids in the UK and Nigeria. Finally, he has won various awards for his artistry from the University of Kent and from the Abuja Literary Society (ALS).
Joy Ogeh – Hutfield (Rev Sister 1/Julie)
A graduate of Theatre Studies and a postgraduate of Drama, Joy’s acting career spans over 15 years through practical experience in working with various African theatre companies based in London and Birmingham. She was an initiator of the first African Dance Workshops that toured Wales and has a consummate passion for poetry and acting with a bias for the exposition of the African flavour on the larger stage. Joy has worked as an actress, an assistant Director and a Choreographer and has toured extensively in the UK, including performances at the National theatre and the South Bank Shows. As a gifted speaker and poet, Joy also features regularly on BBC TV and Radio Wales in a range of programmes, including X-ray and the One-Show.
Tayo Elesin (Rev Sister 1/Julie)
Tayo is a Cambridge LLB & Msc Management graduate as well as a British-Nigerian actress. She often refers to herself as a ‘story teller’ and has acted in several BBC TV productions including, Law and Order and Doctor. Tayo has also acted in the critically acclaimed play by late Ola Rotimi ‘Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again’ produced by Lookman Sanusi. Her other recent roles include, In a Heartbeat, Surviving Education, The Maze and The Journey of Alfred Small.
Opeyemi Lekan Oyeyebi (Bishop/Bros G Gbenga)
An actor, poet, dancer and dance instructor, Lekan trained on the job. His professional stage acting career commenced in Nigerian in 1999. His theatre credits include; Death and the King’s Horseman, The Lion And The Jewel, The Gods Are Not To Blame, Kurunmi and The Voyage. Part of COJA 2001 (Abuja, Nigeria), Contacting The World 2004 (Manchester UK), International Slavery Remembrance Day 2010 (Liverpool UK) and River Naija Orchestra Arts. Finally, he was awarded the Ogeyinka Merit Award For Excellence in 2009, for outstanding contribution to the Development of Theatre Arts in the UK.
Sophia (Rev Sister 2/Alice´s friend)
Sophia studied Media and Performance at Salford University focusing on screen writing under the guidance of scriptwriter Phil Charles. Sweet F&A, Bus Stops and Tiffin’s are her first short film productions whilst Long Johns and Lungi’s, set in her hometown of Bolton in the 1950’s, is her first full-length play, which was successfully work-shopped by the Theatre by the Lake actors eh?. She has worked with inspirational and experimental theatre facilitator, Tracy Gentles, in making guerrilla theatre. She also acted in an episode of Channel 5’s Great Northern Cookbook and performed in several short plays for BBC Radio Cumbria. Sophia is currently writing a play called, Maid of all Work, for Wordsworth House at the National Trust.
Isla Menzies (Wife of Waffi/Gossiper)
Of Kenyan and Scottish heritage, Isla an actress and artist, lives in Scotland and runs Toto Tales Productions, a theatre company with her sister Mara Menzies. In between touring internationally, educating and entertaining the local community is at the heart of their work. Her performance in I knew A Man Called Livingstone at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe, celebrating the birth of Scottish doctor missionary and explorer from an African perspective is typical of her strong connection to the community spirit.
Samuel Okoo (Bishop/Magician/drummer)
Sam first performed with Jimi McRae, the bagpipe player, in an award winning show at the Edinburgh International Arts Festival in 2003 -an outdoor performance of “Gogo, The Boy With Magic Feet” at the city’s Royal Botanic Gardens. Originally from Nigeria and now living in Edinburgh, he is an accomplished dancer and dance choreographer. Having been involved in several successful Edinburgh Festival productions in recent years, playing the djembe to accompany the bagpipe, Sam was described by Jimi McRae as “the best natural rhythmist” he has ever performed alongside adding “Sam’s drum the djembe is also a favourite of mine”.