Gbolahan Obisesan | |
---|---|
Born | |
Alma mater | London Guildhall University |
Occupation(s) | Director Writer |
Notable work | Mad 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.
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]
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]
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has generic name (
help)
Gbolahan Obisesan | |
---|---|
Born | |
Alma mater | London Guildhall University |
Occupation(s) | Director Writer |
Notable work | Mad 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.
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]
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]
{{
cite web}}
: |last=
has generic name (
help)