Nigerian Play & Photo Exhibition @ Brighton Fringe Festival

A Nigerian play Esther’s Revenge by PAW Studios, and an art exhibition Iconic Lagos by Nigerian photographer, Bolaji Alonge on May 25 to June 3, and May 9 to June 4 respectively.

Esther’s Revenge directed by Lagos and Abuja Fringe Festivals co-founder, Kenneth Uphopho is a creative fiction of an event in 1950s precolonial Lagos that saw a young Nigerian woman jailed for murdering of white lover.

The play aims at placing the audience in the accused shoes before drawing their own conclusion of the just penalty. The monologue piece is performed by Bolanle Atitebi will be showing at the Brighton Fishing Museum.

Iconic Lagos, a photo exhibition that highlights and celebrates everyday life in Lagos, captures the soul of Lagos and evokes its essence.

Speaking of the exhibition’s showing at the largest fringe festival of the world, Alonge said, “Last summer my wife and I were publicizing the maiden edition Iconic Lagos that was held in September 2022 during a trip in Europe. We came across huge, colourful photo-posters lining the walls of the Brighton Central train station that read ‘Iconic Brighton’ and excitedly pointed out the synchronicity of our messages. We had no idea then that we will be bringing the same exhibition to that very city the following year. I am proud to show to a new audience on this platform.”

Iconic Lagos a renowned photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi said is indicative of how Africans rather than complain always about Africa’s bad rep globally, the power to change that narrative is in our hands. “Iconic Lagos is a strong attempt at telling the story of Lagos, one of Africa’s most vibrant cities.”

The exhibition opens May 9 to June 4, 2023.

Brighton Festival is England’s largest arts festival and one of the largest fringe festivals in the world. The festival has been around since the 1960s, the city streets of Brighton officially started hosting the festival from 2006 till date. In 2022, Brighton Fringe featured over 4,000 performances of 765 events at 124 venues in Brighton.

Brighton Fringe 2023 runs May 5 to June.