Writer: Temi Majekodunmi
Director: Jessica Mensah
Olu is a typical teenager – nervous around girls, exasperated by his family’s rules and facing the everyday dilemma of what snack to buy at the local shop.
Writer and performer Temi Majekodunmi takes the audience on a journey through a day in The Life of Olu. Growing up in North West London, he invites the audience into a glimpse of Olu’s counselling sessions, conversations with his mother and interactions with his classmates. But while some teenagers have a relatively easy ride through life, Olu has experienced life-changing events and heart-breaking moments.
But while Majekodunmi is a natural storyteller, the performance lacks the momentum to push through and really captivate a wider audience. Although each anecdote is enjoyable, they need a clearer thread to run through them, rather than how it currently stands as one story after another with no real conclusion or coherent link. It would be great for director Jessica Mensah to incorporate an additional performer, an introduction of props or varying scenery, as it would have worked well in breaking up the monotony and give the extra spark to the hour-long monologue.
Majekodunmi’s reflections on Olu’s school days are entertaining and relatable, timing the comedic punchlines well and shocking the crowd into stunned laughter with salacious tales about masturbation to aid beard growth. He manages to balance the light-hearted comedy about family life, with a sensitive approach to harder hitting themes such as sexual assault, racism and violence. While many writers or performers would struggle with the switch between both styles, Majekodunmi does it with ease, silencing with a heartfelt memory, then relieving the tension with a humorous interlude.
With some fine tuning, this performance could really shine as an intelligent, entertaining piece of new writing. Majekodunmi is a confident performer who can truly hold his own during a solo show – and it would be interesting to see what comes next.
Runs until 3 February 2022
