By Japhet Alakam

THE 2014 Christmas season might have come and gone , but one of the major high points of the season in Lagos was the return of The Biggest Broadway Theatre, Saro 2 The Musical to the theatre circuit.

The highly acclaimed musical dance drama made a dramatic return after its hugely successful first outing last year and for 5 days the Shell Hall of MUSON Centre in Lagos was the centre of attraction as people from all walks of life who are passionate about theatre, defied the city’s forbidding traffic and trooped out in their large numbers to see for themselves, according to Bolanle Austin-Peters, the brain behind the production, the new-improved form of the ‘Saro 2, The Musical ’.

This year’s show which was proudly sponsored by Access Bank PLC delivered an even bigger showcase of dazzling performances in lovely and colorful costumes, enigmatic and well-choreographed dance steps, and an exquisite fusion of jazz, afro-beat, hip-hop, highlife, juju, apala, and such other contemporary Nigerian music genres.

Starring a highly talented cast made up of last year’s much-lauded performers as well as an infusion of exciting new actors, songs, dance, and drama scenes, Saro 2 was a mind-blowing reincarnation, as the show greatly improved upon its 2013 version.

For Lagosians who are always busy and in a hurry and had no time to relax, the play afforded them the desired opportunity to relax with their families and they did not miss it as they followed it for the 5 days it lasted.

The venue was some how colonized for the six days by the organisers and each day people trooped out enmasse to witness the big show. And as the first show was rounding up, viewers who had already purchased their tickets for the second one will be outside waiting for the first to end.

It was a classic encounter with the best of dance drama and as expected, it was a titillating experience and the audience responded with the thunderous applause and rapturous praise as the 100-man cast dazzled and awed them with an impressive repertoire of captivating original music, beautifully reimagined covers breathtaking dance routines, as well as the colorful, flamboyant costumes.

From the very first day it opened where the presidential aspirant of All Progressives Congress, APC General Muhammadu Buhari and other APC bigwigs took time out to watch it till the last day, it was an absolute delight from the start to the end as the big musical unfolded on stage with deft interpretation of the journey of four young men to the city in pursuit of their dreams.

Like in the first edition, the story line has not changed, it is, meanwhile, the same familiar tale of a quest for greener pastures, which eggs on four young men to migrate to Lagos. This quartet is armed with not more than their hopes and dreams. Their journey of self-realisation sucks them into a vortex of strengthening experiences for their new environment.

This current production of the musical filters all this into a medley of trials, misfortunes and love, presenting them in 14 acts. It retains much of the flavours of the first outing, as it regales the audience with Nigeria’s rich musical history through beautiful renditions of the good-old-days hits and original compositions. This aural treat is well complemented with first-rate choreographed dances.

Breathtaking entertainment

The Shell hall venue of the show was well designed, and with the colourful and expressive costumes, elaborate light and sound input, plus the actors, dancers, musicians, stunts-men showed that the scale and quality of vision of the producers of the show was indeed remarkable.

It was indeed a breathtaking entertainment at its best and a clarion call for all to rise up and support the move for the revival of theatre life in Lagos and Nigeria. Apart from the entertaining aspect of it, one big lesson of the production and its success story is the very fact that whatever Nigerians put their minds on, plan very well, they always come out with the best.

For Austen-Peters, founder and managing director of Terra Kulture, who brought the idea that gave birth to SARO The Musical, the story so far can be seen as a success story. This she attributed to her over seven years engagement with theatrical production and promotion through the Theatre@Terra scheme, an initiative that had imbued her organisation with the capacity and boldness to envision a grand theatrical package of the musical magnitude.