SIX ACTORS. NO SCRIPT. PURE IMPROVISATION

By Natasha U’Ren-Ashdown | @tasha.ua ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

Talking People is a fully improvised performance shaped by the interaction between audience and cast, meaning the night’s story can go anywhere. On the evening I attended, the narrative followed two related Nigerian families: one a mother and her only son, the other a family of three children whose mother is largely absent in Act One, having left them with their aunt while she returned to Nigeria for ten years. What followed was humour, passion and intensity, so much so that at one point it felt as though two of the sons might actually come to blows in front of us. The talent in the room was undeniable.

As you enter UNDR in Ladbroke Grove, the atmosphere is set with a DJ and Toyin’s Kitchen providing an array of starters before the show and mains during the interval. The reason for this delight was that you found out this restaurant was the Producer’s (Elina Saleh Franck) inspiration for the performance. As you find your seat, you notice the cast seated at the front of the room, almost level with the audience, with only six stools as their stage. The lights remain on throughout, with audience participation enhancing the experience. Direct and, at times, gruelling questions are thrown at the cast, either publicly for all to hear or ‘privately’ with a certain actor, to uncover the truths within the story and relationship dynamics.

The performance is guided by co-directors Richard Vincent and Tomisin Adepeju, who strike the perfect balance between humour and authority. Their influence is particularly effective when the absent mother (Toni Egbowon-Ogunjobi) is brought on stage and incorrectly states the age of her youngest child, prompting Vincent to call her out, adding depth to her character’s neglect and detachment. With the level of audience participation and questioning from the co-directors, the cast’s emotional and physical responses are drawn out in real time. Everyone wants to be part of the story, helping to mould and shape it in a way that energises the room and keeps both audience and cast fully engaged.

The standout performance for me came from Jonathan Ajayi, who embraced the improvisation head-on, answering questions with thought and emotional depth, while never overpowering the rest of the cast. Cast as the ‘eldest son’, he fully embodied the role. Kemi Adekoya, the mother with the unexpected responsibility of four children, was equally brilliant, drawing the majority of the audience’s laughter. Her directness, combined with her use of Nigerian cultural norms, beliefs and insights, made her character so convincing that I forgot she was acting. The absent mother, though off stage for most of Act One, returned in the final ten minutes and left a strong impression, making me eager to see how the story would unfold in Part Two when she reunited with her children. Then comes the second act, and it’s a complete shift. The style shifts from a seated performance to a fully interactive ensemble piece. At the aunt’s birthday celebration, drama unfolds, humour has the audience in fits of laughter, and shocking truths are revealed. The room is left gasping and howling.

What makes Talking People so compelling is the strength of its actors. The chemistry is palpable; it genuinely feels like a real family on stage, with arguments that feel almost too real. It’s a credit to the co-directors, producers and cast, the way they balance and elevate one another is what makes it work. It would be hard to top tonight’s performance, and I look forward to reviewing another Talking People production; it has quickly become a new favourite of mine.

Talking People – The Prodigal took place at UNDR on Tuesday 21 April.

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