By Jackson Oboth
It has been a while since I last watched Actors do a stage performance at the National Theatre or any other show for that matter. But recently a friend offered me a ticket to go watch a rendition of My Fair Lady at the National Theatre., Not to disappoint my friend; I reluctantly made my way to the National Theatre for the 7:30 pm kick off. Show. At first I didn’t expect much and was anticipating the evening to be a wasted one. Alas! I was blown away with surprise at the ingenuity with which Ugandan Actors have mastered stage performance.
My Fair Lady is an immensely popular musical drama by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. First produced in New Haven and New York 1956, London 1958. The original text is based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion.
It was presented in South Africa by an all-white cast in 1962. Presented by African Theaters and produced by Robert Herbert from 2 November 1962. It played to 234 packed houses, before repeating its success in Cape Town 1963, and Durban. The lead cast was Singer and Actress Diane Todd, who starred as Eliza Doolittle.
The National Theatre show was the first time this musical is presented in an all-African cast with Tayo Shonubi, the youngest daughter of City Lawyers; Allan and Robina Shonubi being the first African ever, to be cast as Eliza Doolittle. To say that she did justice to her role, would be an understatement. This was a dream come true for Tayo to wow her home audience after a long winding journey that took her across the globe in pursuit of her childhood desires; Acting.
How it all began.
As a little girl, Tayo had featured as a child in HOPE during her primary school days at a French School in Kampala; Ecole Francaise where she became more fluent in French than English, prompting her parents to shift her to GreenHill Academy.
Tayo’s Secondary school also in Kampala was at International School of Uganda where she had the best International School Lester profile award under the IB (international baccalaureate) program. She auditioned for several roles under KADS in Kampala Amateur Dramatic Society where she was cast for most of them during her High School days.
It was during these formative days when Tayo started displaying immense interest in drama. Thank God that Unlike most African parents who try hard to control the professional journey of their children right from infancy, The Shonubis watched keenly with loving support, as their youngest daughter curve her own niche into theatre performance and script writing as a career choice, right from that tender age. And Tayo is eternally grateful for that. “ I’m blessed to have my family. I have seen immense support and encouragement from them since tender age” she says.
Many of you reading this article, if you live in Kampala, you are probably well versed with the Shonubis. Allan Shonubi and his wife Robina are both high flying Lawyers and Kampala’s A-listers residing in the affluent Kololo neighborhood. One would think, they would influence their daughter to follow the traditional career path. Far from it.
Done with Primary and Secondary education in Uganda, Tayo found herself in the UK where she enrolled at Brunel University, London for Theatre (BA). She later changed to the Guildford School of Acting, UK but her gut feelings kept bugging her that she was not getting what she wanted in the UK Universities. Tayo was convinced that what she was looking for may be found in the US. She then had to convince her parents through a PowerPoint presentation before securing their blessing to move to the US. That’s how she got enrolled at AMDA: The American Musical and Dramatic Academy New York City. (Broadway) is where Tayo started her 4 year Bachelor of Fine Arts. Program and later graduating in May 2022 with distinction.
Before traveling to LA for her final 2 years at AMDA Tayo auditioned for the Dream girls and was cast for the role of Lorrell Robinson who joined the group after Effie left.
She performed for two months in Florida.
“While in Florida, I had a survival job which was to sell Theatre merchandise. Having my base within the theatre, led, me to watch so many shows which built my experience in stage performance. The very first acting I got into was called the 12 Angry women. I hold fond memories of the Venice Theatre in Florida for giving me the opportunity to make my very first thereat appearance” Tayo says, blinking her eyes with nostalgia.
Returning to Uganda
Tayo later returned to Uganda in June 2018 and did some shows at Seven Hills International School where her parents were among the guests. Her brief stay in Uganda was characterized with lots of engagements with school kids whose interests were tweaked towards drama and acting. She later returned to Los Angeles to finish her degree course before finally returning back to Uganda in March 2022.
Since then Tayo has been engrossed in writing movies one of which is work in progress, a movie tittled “ Happy Birthday, with a theme centered around mental health.
Today, Tayo is determined to see the face of entertainment in Uganda change for the better. “ Local drama is getting better here. We are creating our own opportunities here in Uganda. We still have a long way to go but the future looks bright” Tayo says.
With role models such as Lupita Nyongo, Tayo still considers her parents to be her most favored role models. “ I’m blessed to have them. My family is smart, generous and very supportive. Am what Iam today because of their great understanding and support”.
