Ep. 45: Conundrum | AFIA Podcast with Simon Okelo Ft Anthony Ofoegbu & Paul Anthony Morris
In this episode, I will be talking about the Conundrum, which is a play by Paul Anthony Morris, which gives us a unique insight into the incredible mind of a man trapped in a society that has not yet evolved. Having resolved to conduct a personal life review to critique the inequality of society, our protagonist, Fidel, becomes alarmed by the prospect that he may also be responsible for undermining his own well-being. Perplexed by this conundrum, Fidel embarks upon an epic journey to wrestle with some of life’s most fundamental questions; Who am I and why am I here? Anthony Ofoegbu - Artistic Director Anthony Ofoegbu started performing in 1981 and in 1988 co-founded Four’s Company Dance Theatre with choreographer and dramatist, Christine Cubberley. Between 1991-1998 he was Resident Collaborator and Artist for Bayie Busuofo Mas Band, for the annual Notting Hill Carnival. From 1995 Anthony worked with Nigerian Nobel Laureate and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka, on The Beatification Of Area Boy, Oyedipo (an adaptation of Oedipus At Colonus) and Death And The King's Horseman, which toured Australia, America, Africa, and Europe. In 2001 Nàwáo Produktions, Zurich, appointed him to be head of casting for King Baabu which toured Nigeria, Switzerland, and Germany. In 2015 Anthony became Company Director for Crying in the Wilderness Productions, an associate theatre company of the Young Vic Theatre. Anthony joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2017/18 for their Rome Season and performed as Julius Caesar and Titus Andronicus. He was also in Antony and Cleopatra. Anthony went on to perform as James in Annie Baker’s, Circle Transformation, at Manchester’s Home Theatre, UK, before embarking on an extensive US tour of Barbershop Chronicles that premiered at the UK’s National Theatre in which he played Emmanuel. The pandemic put closure on Anthony’s starring debut of Fidel in Conundrum at the prestigious Young Vic Theatre in London last March. Providence intervened and a special version of Conundrum was filmed and screened live online last august in London. This filmed production was later included in the Rijeka, the European Capital City of Culture Festival in November and December 2020 which ran for two weeks. Anthony has been a keen photographer for over 30 years. Highlights include the OffWestEnd Offie Awards Ceremony. He also designed and produced their award trophies. Paul Anthony Morris - Artistic Director Artistic Director, Paul Anthony Morris, trained at Barbara Speake Stage School and went on to work as an actor in theatre for many years. In 2006 Paul founded Crying in the Wilderness Productions. In 2006 his epic play ‘THE SEER’ was produced into a short documentary film in collaboration with West Yorkshire Playhouse. In 2007 Paul directed ‘35 CENTS’ at the Blue Elephant Theatre and ‘CHOICES’ for the CIA Theatre Company. In 2008 Paul won ‘The Adopt A Playwright Award’ for his play ‘IDENTITY’ and went on to complete three separate commissions from the Half Moon Young People’s Theatre. In 2008 and 2009 Paul worked as a film coordinator for STORY MAKERS TV which was screened at the BEAUTIFUL SOUTH FILM FESTIVAL at the British Film Institute. In the autumn of 2009, Paul directed ‘THE MEETING’ at the Warehouse Theatre. In 2010 Paul was commissioned by Fostering Network to write ‘CLICK’ and he directed ‘SHINNING MYRIAD’ at the Rosemary Branch Theatre. In 2011 Paul directed the ‘INVISIBLE MAN’ at the Decibel Performance Arts Showcase in Manchester. In 2012 Paul began developing a trilogy of plays with a second showcase of the ‘INVISIBLE MAN’ at the Bush Theatre. In 2015 he directed ‘SARAI’ at the Arcola theatre. In 2016 and 2017 he directed ‘CONUNDRUM’ at the Certain Black Festival. In 2017 he directed ‘INVISIBLE MAN’ at the Rich Mix In 2018 his company became an associate of the Young Vic theatre. In 2019 he was Associate Director on ‘TREE’ a play conceived by Idris Elba and directed by Kwame Kwei Armah. In 2020 Paul filmed the production of ‘CONUNDRUM’ which was screened for two weeks at the European Capital of Culture in 2020. Paul’s awards include the Fringe First at the Edinburg Theatre Festival for ‘THE GUISE’, the Achievement Award for best short film ‘ONCE UPON A TIME’, the Adopt A Playwright Award for ‘IDENTITY’ Offwestend, and a double winner in of the Peggy Ramsay Award for GIFTED in 2011 and Professional Mourners in 2015. His plays ‘35 Cents and ‘IDENTITY’ have been published by Oberon.
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