‘Before I Let You Go’ hits J Randle stage, Onikan on New Year day

By Editor

LOVERS of stage act are in for a soulful treat on New Year day, Wednesday, January 1, 2026 when curtains open for the exhilarating 2-man performance of Before I Let you Go at J Randle Centre and Museum of Yoruba History, opposite National Museum at Onikan, Lagos. It’s a B-Rated Productions, directed by Bimbo Olorunmola, with Tosin Adeyemi as producer. The production is in conjunction with Ariya Christmas Village that has had a series of cultural activities lined up this Yuletide season.

Set against the backdrop of a tranquil Lagos park, Before I Let You Go, written by Moshood Fattah, captures the electric, fleeting connection between Gbenga, a soulful photographer preparing to emigrate, and Irene, a witty lawyer grappling with the loss of her job. Their chance encounter blossoms through a rich tapestry of playful “jabbing,” nostalgic storytelling, and vulnerability, turning a brief moment into a profound exploration of what it means to say goodbye to a city and a life.

B-Rated Productions explained the reason for this particular production, with its director, Olorunmola saying, “When B-Rated Productions set out to commission a piece for the 2024 Lagos Theatre Festival, we weren’t looking for the “usual” stage drama. Our vision was to present something truly unique: a play that felt as sophisticated as it was soulful, built on deeply relatable but barely explored themes. The result, Before I Let You Go, is exactly what we envisioned—a masterclass in “light-hearted depth” where the dialogue is as fast-paced as a Lagos street, but the connection is as steady as a heartbeat.

“One of the primary reasons Before I Let You Go was selected as a featured production for the J Randle’s Ariya Christmas Village is its profound relevance to the holiday season. As Lagos experiences its annual influx of visiting family and ‘IJGBs’ (I Just Got Backs), the play’s exploration of ‘japa’ culture and the bittersweet nature of departures mirrors the real-life reunions and farewells taking place across the city.”

Directed by Olorunmola and produced by Adeyemi for B-Rated Productions, “Before I Let You Go features magnetic performances from Asa’a Samuel and Kanyinsola Eros, whose portrayal of Gbenga and Irene anchors this featured highlight of the J Randle’s Ariya Christmas Village, and proudly supported by Griot Global Network and Draft Africa.”