Family Show (From Croydon Guardian)

Family Show

3:40pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Freetime

It has been a big hit in South Africa, Nigeria and Uganda, now a comedy produced by a Croydon resident is coming to the London stage, writes Andy Bloss.

"Meet the Adebanjos’, a comedy about a Nigerian living in London, is being shown at the Hackney Empire on November 2 and November 3.

Andrew Osayemi, 26, of Addiscombe, produced the show with his colleague Debra Odutoyo, and first put the show on YouTube, where it got more than a million views.

Mr Osayemi, who used to work in New York as a trader, helped put together the finances, write the script, sign up the actors and find venues both for the TV show and the stage version.

In their first week showing in South Africa earlier this month, the comedy became the fifth most watched comedy show in the country.

The stage show has also proved popular, with around 2,000 people buying tickets for their Catford show in July.

Now the show is hitting Hackney and Mr Osayemi wants as many Croydon families to come and watch the show.

He said: "I would like to do something for all kids in Croydon. "As our show is happening during half term I would like give a special half price offer to all kids for our afternoon shows in November.

"All they have to do is call the Hackney box office and saying they are from Croydon."

The producer also has plans to bring the show to the Fairfield Halls, something which would make Mr Osayemi very proud.

He said: "We have done things differently with this show. We haven’t got it commissioned by a big TV channel but we are still seeing success.

"The show at Hackney will be fantastic fun and we want people to come and enjoy the theatre.

"We really want to bring it to Fairfield Halls. One hundred per cent next year we want to have it in Croydon. As a resident in Croydon, I would love it to be shown here."

Meet the Adebanjos, Hackney Empire, November 2 -3, tickets £25 - £15, Family ticket of 4 for matinee's: £45 (family = 2 adults & 2 children, or 1 adult & 3 children), hackneyempire.co.uk