Photo Credit – Tristram Kenton
It is hard to tell a good story about storytelling without it feeling a little self-indulgent but Once Upon a Time in Sokoto manages. The actors both frame and become the story, while bringing the audience to join them in a collective storytelling experience.
It’s been a long time since I have seen such an ambitious production. The performance opens with the four actors introducing the play and arguing what is the most important thing about this story. In the hands of a lesser production this opening could have seemed gimmicky. Instead, I was invited inside the story. I was surprised that an epic period piece that spanned several decades could feel so intimate.
This play was about so many things all at once: the nature of empire, land rights, female education, the origin of Boko Haram, slavery, the relationship between religions, the British colonialism of Northern Nigeria, female Quranic scholarship, capitalism and class are some of the ideas the play explores. Every story about the past is also a story about the present. This is particularly true of Once Upon a Time in Sokoto.
It is unsurprising that the play won the Alfred Fagen award in 2024. However, the writing would not be able to sing if it were not for the strength of the performances. Inua Ellams created the linework of this play and the brilliant creative team did the shading, but it was the actors who filled it with vibrant colour.
Both Antonia Layiwola as Zinari and Adeola Yemitan as Nafisa do a great job of anchoring the play. I am glad that the two strong women who are the centre of this tale have been given such dimension. Their chemistry with each other in the second act particularly is brilliant to watch. Bayo Gbadamosi plays Hadiru with empathy and sensitivity. For me, the standout performance was from Will Atiomo as he was able to embody so many characters. It was Atiomo’s talent for making all of his characters so different and well-rounded that enabled Once Upon a Time in Sokoto to create a story of such an epic scale.
This is theatre at its most exciting!
Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is on tour. It will be playing at Leeds Playhouse until Saturday the 14th November, and tickets can be booked via this link – https://www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk/event/once-upon-a-time-in-sokoto/
Reviewer: Nerissa Monroe
Reviewed: 11th November 2026
Theatre Muse Rating: *****
