Gbolahan Obisesan

Last updated

Gbolahan Obisesan
Born
Nigeria
Alma mater London Guildhall University
Occupations
  • Director
  • Writer
Notable workMad About the Boy

Gbolahan Obisesan is a British Nigerian writer and director. He was the Artistic Director and Joint CEO at Brixton House theatre. He has served as a Genesis Fellow and Associate Director at the Young Vic.

Contents

Early life

Obisesan was born in Nigeria and moved to the UK when he was 9 years old. [1] [2] He grew up in Bermondsey and New Cross. [2] He attended Southwark College, where he earned a Distinction in Communication & Visual Design in 2000. He later completed a Bachelor's degree in Communication and Visual Studies at London Guildhall University and was involved with the National Youth Theatre. [3]

Career

Obisesan has served as a writer, actor and director. [4] He won the Jerwood Directors Award from the Young Vic for Sus in 2010. [4] In 2011 Obisesan's play Mad About the Boy won the Fringe First for best play. [5] It was published by Nick Hern Books. [6] He directed four plays for epic 66 books at the Bush Theatre. [7] It went on to tour the Unicorn Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and Bush Theatre. [5] He was the only British writer for Rufus Norris's Feast at the Royal Court Theatre in 2013. [8] Obisesan adapted Pigeon English by Stephen Kelman for the Bristol Old Vic in 2013. [9] The production was taken to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it was described as "theatre made by young people, about young people, for everybody". [9] He wrote and directed How Nigeria Became: A Story, and A Spear That Didn't Work, which ran at the Unicorn Theatre in 2014. [10] The play commemorated the centenary of Nigeria and was nominated as one of the Best Productions for Young People in the OffWestEnd Theatre Awards. [10] [11] He was made the Young Vic Genesis Fellow in 2015. [12] [13]

In 2016 Obisesan directed Charlene James's Cuttin'it, which premiered at the Young Vic before touring to Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Crucible Theatre and London's Yard Theatre [14] [15] In 2017 it was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre. [16] His latest production,The Fishermen is an adaption of the novel by Chigozie Obioma. [17] It debuted at HOME theatre in Manchester, UK, in 2018. [18]

Obisesan was made artistic director at the Brixton House (formerly Ovalhouse) theatre in January 2020 and left in January 2023. [19] [20] [21] In the wake of the George Floyd murder and the associated protests, Obisesan called for British theatre to become more inclusive. [22] At the time, less than 5% of London theatre employees were black and minority ethnic, whilst the population of London are 40%. [22] In an interview with The Guardian, Obisesan said, “perpetuating whiteness across institutions and organisations can no longer be the norm,”. [23]

Directing and writing

References

  1. ↑ "Obisesan; Gbolahan | BPA". www.blackplaysarchive.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Gbolahan Obisesan: 'You have to give the story to the people'". the Guardian. 25 September 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  3. ↑ "Interview with Open Door founder David Mumeni | There's a place in this industry for everyone | National Youth Theatre". www.nyt.org.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Gbolahan Obisesan - Royal Court". Royal Court. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  5. 1 2 3 Obisesan, Gbolahan (2012). "Mad About the Boy". doi:10.5040/9781784602932.00000002. ISBN   9781784602932.{{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ Oladipo, Obisesan (2010). Living without AIDS. AuthorHouse. ISBN   9781452006536. OCLC   610166174.
  7. ↑ "Gbolahan Obisesan - The Agency". The Agency. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  8. ↑ "Feast (Young Vic) - Royal Court". Royal Court. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  9. 1 2 3 "Pigeon English". Twisted Theatre. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  10. 1 2 3 "How Nigeria Became: A story, and a spear that didn't work - Unicorn Theatre". www.unicorntheatre.com. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Interview: Gbolahan Obisesan, Director, 'We Are Proud...'". Whats On Africa. 24 February 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  12. ↑ "Nick Hern Books | About Gbolahan Obisesan". Nick Hern Books. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "Young Vic appoints director Gbolahan Obisesan as Genesis fellow | News | The Stage". The Stage. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "CUTTIN' IT". Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "Cuttin' It directed by Young Vic Genesis Fellow Gbolahan Obisesan". www.genesisfoundation.org.uk. Archived from the original on 11 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  16. ↑ "Here - The Royal Court Theatre". studylib.net. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  17. ↑ "The Fishermen - HOME". HOME. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  18. 1 2 "Production details". www.newperspectives.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  19. ↑ Urban, Mike (5 March 2020). "Ovalhouse Theatre announce name change to Brixton House, and appoint new artistic director, Gbolahan Obisesan". Brixton Buzz. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  20. ↑ "Congratulations to Gbolahan Obisesan, new Artistic Director of Brixton House, formerly Ovalhouse". Alfred Fagon Award. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  21. ↑ "Interview: Ovalhouse Theatre's artistic director Gbolahan Obisesan on Brixton's 'startling stories' | SWLondoner". South West Londoner. 29 March 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  22. 1 2 "Brixton House director joins call for anti-racist theatres". Brixton Blog. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.[ permanent dead link ]
  23. 1 2 "Gbolahan Obisesan: give BAME talent trust and theatre will thrive". the Guardian. 9 June 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  24. ↑ Billington, Michael (10 June 2010). "Theatre review | Sus | Young Vic, London". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  25. ↑ "Mad About the Boy". www.bushtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  26. 1 2 "Guardian and Royal Court announce Off the Page - a unique series of 'microplays' uniting journalism and theatre". the Guardian. 17 November 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  27. 1 2 "Zaida and Aadam". www.bushtheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  28. ↑ Dickson, Andrew (27 January 2015). "Walking the Tightrope review – playlets that probe politics and art". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  29. ↑ Gardner, Lyn (31 May 2016). "Cuttin' It review – streetwise drama evolves into fierce FGM statement". the Guardian. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  30. ↑ "Cuttin' It". Young Vic website. 19 May 2016. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  31. ↑ The Fishermen Trailer Edinburgh (2018), 2 August 2018, retrieved 11 August 2018
  32. ↑ "SS Mendi: Dancing the Death Drill review – tragic history stunningly sung". the Guardian. 6 July 2018. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
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