Picture by Brian Would
Bola Agbaje, the Olivier Award winning playwright, is on a roll. Since her impressive debut back in 2008 with her first play Gone Too Far! at the Royal Court Theatre, she has written prolifically. The right wing press have a tendency pigeon-hole her plays as youth obsessed, urban and ghetto.
Instead of buckling, she has upped the ante with her latest play, Belong, which tackles identity, politics, Nigerian culture and family ties. Agbaje explains to Joy Francis why she is moving into film and her plans to encourage the next generation of young writers.
Tell us about your new play Belong?
Belong is about a politician who was born in Nigeria but spent most of adult life in the UK. After failing in the local elections he decides to go back home to rest, but falls into family and African politics. There is a big difference between politics over here and in Nigeria, where it is a deadlier game. Ultimately he is searching for a sense of home and where he fits in.
You take on satire. How did you find that?
I just write about the people that I know and what they say. People have said Nigerians are funny. The way they say things can come across as comedic. I didn’t decide to pick a particular genre. It isn’t outright comedy. Everyone is trying to fit me and my writing style into particular neat boxes. As long as people come and see the work, look beyond the colour and the fact that it is set in Nigeria, and follow the emotional journey of the characters, then they will get it.
Since you won the Olivier Award for your first play Gone Too Far! in 2008 you have touched on a range of topics in your plays. Which play are you the most proud of and why?
That is not fair [laughs]. I’m most proud of Gone Too Far! as it is my first play. This is the play people used to write me off as a one trick pony; that I only write about young people and estates, so I’m quite proud of it. You have to keep proving people wrong. It is hard being a black playwright when you are judged differently. Should I cry my eyes out? No. I’m here to stay.
The last time we spoke you were keen to move into film and had scripted some shorts. You are now working with the UK Film Council to bring Gone Too Far! to the big screen. What has the adaptation process been like?
We are just going over the final hurdle to get financiers to back the project. It has been a long process. I’ve had to learn to write for screen. You have to use more visual and you have to say things more quickly on TV than in plays. I’m really excited. I hope I get to make it. My first love is TV and film. I love theatre but grew up on TV and film. The only change we have made to play is to make it work on a real estate and make the story travel in real time.
You have set up a social enterprise to inspire the next generation of young writers. How is that going?
It’s hard getting funding so when we do it’s nice to inspire young people to go for their dreams. This is my way of giving back. I learned how to write by going to a young writers’ course. I work closely with The Albany as my local theatre. They are really lovely people and are always interested in projects that involve the community. It is nice when local people feel comfortable to say, I will actively go to see a new play.
What are the challenges facing young playwrights today?
I think it is an internal challenge. It is hard to sit down and complete a piece of writing. It is about understanding that it takes more than one attempt to get your work right. As I usually talk about the times when I have a commission or a show on people think writing is easy. I have been working on Belong since 2010. Writers don’t say how many drafts they have to go through. It is blood, sweat and tears.
If you could give one piece of advice to a budding playwright, what would it be?
Just write it, no matter what. You could sit there thinking, this isn’t any good. Once you get it down it doesn’t matter how rubbish the first draft is. You can improve it.
Belong is at the Bussey Building, Peckham until 23 June 2012 as part of the Royal Court’s Theatre Local Peckham.
www.royalcourttheatre.com