I’m currently in a long, boring session, struggling not to sleep.
So as the speaker drones, I start scouring IG and fell on a post asking why Nigerian theatre producers don’t do preview shows
Instantly, I woke up and responded. They are a bloody waste of time and an opportunity for arrogant people who pretend to know one or two things about the art form to watch the show for free
My people, there are two reasons why one could consider a preview show
The first to get critics into the room and get them to watch very critically and offer insights
The second reason is to get a media set so that their reviews could boost ticket sales
Both don’t work for me. The first, is the funniest.
So in theatre, we have a huge population of people who like to think that they are gatekeepers
They would bandy years of being in the business, bandy academic credentials and then climb the high pedestal and begin to critique
Most times, when I listen, I ask myself what I’m even listening to
Every play has a direction and a vision, the director interprets the vision of the Producer and works with the resources available
The armchair critique not bothering to interrogate either the producer or the director will take a pen or verbally begin to annoy the people who are sweating tears and blood
Directors are notoriously very sensitive to the show and a wrong word or wrong comment can topple everything
Prof Yerima had once threatened to walk away a few days before the show cos I had said something that didn’t sit well with him
William Benson had once burst out in tears cos one actress came late and missed her lines
Prof Ojo had resigned simply because we were arguing abt cast welfare
So subjecting these geniuses to a retinue of so-called critiques would surely amount to a great disaster for the production
Secondly, in my about 10 years in this space, I have not seen anybody whose words drove ticket sales or killed it
All these critics lack the followership to affect outcomes
So I now see a rash of theatre reviews all over the place citing one flaw after the other and I laugh cos they all drop duds that do not affect outcomes
Now is this looking like one does not want his work to be appraised?
Far from it. What I am saying is that that extra N5m, I would put on a preview show and gain almost nothing, I will kuku throw it into the production and gain a better outcome
Now the post-event review is better aligned, as it doesn’t risk derailing the production but gives a post-mortem that could either make sense or not.
So for me and to answer the question that I saw in IG, the preview show is a No No as I see it as a bloody waste of time
The day I can tie a critic’s voice to serious ticket sales that day I will do the preview show in his house.
Till then, my advice to the critic is to go and buy your ticket and watch the show instead of looking for a free show under the guise of a preview show
Yeye
Come and beat me
Duke of Shomolu
Last modified: April 11, 2026
