Wednesday, August 28, 2013

SARO… WILL BE A GAME-CHANGER FOR THE AUDIENCE, THE ARTISTES AND FOR NIGERIA THEATRE, says Diana Yekinni, playing Ronke in SARO the Musical

“SARO… is going to be a game changer. The show is going to be fabulous.
There are so many talented people in the cast; behind the scenes, in the scenes, everything. Definitely, it is a show to be seen and not heard”.

May we get to know you?
I am Diana Yekinni, based in London but from Lagos State, Nigeria... I am an actress who sings and dances well. I love theatre and have been doing films for a while now; but have just come back to theatre. My degree is in Theatre Arts. I went to school in the US and UK. I have been doing films for eight years.

How has it been like rehearsing this play, SARO The Musical?
It has been a lot of fun getting to know more people because I just moved here from London; and I don’t really know many people. It has been fun; it has been definitely a work on a lot of dance and music. It has been a great experience so far. I am looking forward to the rest of it.



Diana Yekinni And Saro Director: Makinde Adeniran.

How has the rehearsal hall been?
Very lively! You can’t put that many actors/singers/artists and others… in one room and expect it to be dull. It is fabulous. Very lively. Much energy. If you are not in this world, you will be a little overwhelmed but still have a good time. More energy and more flair when it comes.

How would you compare SARO… with your previous experiences?
It is different, I won’t lie. Considering Theatre in Naija is not theatre in the US or theatre in the UK. For me, it is a different experience, but it’s refreshing to know that we are getting there.  We are definitely neck-and-neck with the international market. So, it is exciting.  We are doing amazing things in Nigeria; the acting industry is getting better everyday. I am actually quite surprised, God forgive me, as to how good the theatre is here in Nigeria. I am sure the future holds amazing stuff for us here.

What role are you playing in SARO The Musical?
I play the lead role of Ronke. She is the daughter of Don Sito. Very outgoing, flamboyant, festive unforgettable character, who is an attention seeker; always trying to be seen, expresses herself. It is a front role. I am enjoying it.

If not Ronke, what other lead role would you have loved to take up?
To be honest, Ronke was very in for me. I am sorry; I don’t mean to sound like that.  I am not saying I am crazy but I do have some crazy tendencies. There are similar traits between me and Ronke. So, if I am to pick again, if I had a choice, I would pick Ronke. Not that I picked Ronke, it was picked for me. I would definitely like to pick Ronke either way.

What qualified you to be picked as Ronke after several auditioning?
To be honest, when you audition, something new comes up every single day; you can’t really say because you are not on the panel. You can only bring what you have to the table. You go in, during this audition, I was to sing, dance and act. I went in; I danced, sang and acted. It is really hard to say a word what was the reason I was chosen to play Ronke. I would say, it was based on my talent.

What do you have for your fans?
If there is anybody who sees my works and admires me, I would say, thank you. Everything is by the grace of God. Please, continue to support me on my journey.

Would you want your fans to come and watch SARO The Musical?
Of course!  It is going to be a game changer. The show is going to be fabulous. There are so many talented people in the cast; behind the scenes, in the scenes, everything. Definitely, it is a show to be seen and not heard.
And what would be their take home?
I didn’t know Nigeria could do this! That is it!



Could you specify the films you have acted in?

I was in Ije, The Journey. If you remember a specific, crazy prisoner, I was by then chubbier; quite a funny role. That is the most memorable.  But since then I have had other productions.  We are currently shooting one in Ghana called The Refugees, directed by Frank Raja.  It’s crispy, I believe; MMS Songs and other films called Lagos School Girls, is coming up soon where I played lead role too. A few songs coming up soon this year... Theatre is my passion; this is what I love; my background and my everything. So, I am glad because I got my foot back in the door. Film is definitely still active for me.

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