The likes of Taiwo Ajai-Lycett are rare and difficult to come by, especially in this part. She is a conqueror of two worlds – national and international acting scenes. Since decades ago when she was spotted sitting at the foyer of London’s Royal Court Theatre by William Gaskill, who immediately invited her to join the cast of Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel, TAL has been going on and on, traversing different theatre houses and stages and doing all of us very proud. The kinky dresser opened up to AZUH ARINZE on a number of issues. Excerpts…
Tell us about yourself.
I’m a Lagosian, born and bred here. I was born in Ebute Metta, Ondo Street to be precise. I attended both primary and secondary schools around the area. After that, I taught at St. Paul’s Catholic School, Costain, before travelling abroad to specifically study Law. In those days of pre-independence, everybody wanted to be a lawyer. I later changed my mind about studying Law to study Business Administration. I worked with the British Post Office for sometime and when I felt I needed to grow more, I went to work at the largest advertising agency in the world then, called Young and Rubicamo.
You haven’t been regular in our home videos. Why is this so?
I don’t think the home video or whatever is happening is addressing issues that I feel are important to the development of the country. Issues that are really pressing, issues that advance the cause of our growth, development and history. I think the things being talked about are too trivial, too juvenile and not thought-provoking enough. I think it is the responsibility of an artiste to talk about value systems and effect changes. It’s not self-indulgent, not about seeing my face on the screen. Whenever you see my face in connection with anything, it would be plays that talk about issues that will exercise people’s mind for a long time. If what I’m doing isn’t challenging, isn’t teaching anything and at the same time entertaining hilariously, then there’s no point doing it.
What have you been doing personally to project these ideas?
Well, I have tried to be in dialogue with them. I have spoken at fora about the direction which I feel arts and performing arts in Nigeria, especially, should take. I have established a training school here at TAL House. I have put advertisement on radio, spoken about this on television, spoken to individuals. I have tried to sensitize the people by way of leaflets, I have tried to acquaint the people so that they can come to the school so that we can re-appraise what we are doing and also train them. I have done quite a great deal to encourage people to come to the school without having to go and drag them from their homes. Another contribution I made was to be part of the REEL Awards organization. I will like at this point to share with the developing and growing artiste my vision and ideas of the direction which arts should be going. That it can be stronger, can be more intellectual, more ideas-oriented, more thought-provoking and exhilarating to watch on stage.
Between stage and screen, that is home video, which do you prefer?
Because it’s a very strong medium where you are in direct contact with the audience, where you can feel and almost hear the thinking of the audience, where you are in touch with exactly what you are doing. You can’t hide from the audience when you are on stage and if you don’t know your lines very well, you will be exposed. If you are just reading the lines as against saying them as your own words, it will show and everybody will know what a bad actor you are. You cannot hide. It’s not about a pretty face and bleaching your skin and looking like yoyo. It’s nothing like that. It’s about strong intellectual input, technical competence and sensitivity. I think the stage is a wonderful place for training.
How do you view the present stage of the industry?
It hasn’t started.
How do you mean?
Too many charlatans in the business, whether it is management, production or performance. This business is not about who you are. It’s about ideas, living lifestyles that are positive and projecting your point of view. So, you have to have great ideas for you to be reckoned with.
How did you get into acting?
Oh! That’s a long story. I got into acting well over 40 years ago when I went for a rehearsal in England with a friend of mine. We wanted to go have a drink from there or something like that when the director saw me and asked if I was an actor. I said no, because in those days I didn’t know I would be an actor. I was an art buff or aficionado. In other words, I went to all plays, all musical concerts, classical jazz. I went to see at least three films in a week. I didn’t know how I coped then. He asked if I could join the production that was in progress. That was how I got launched into acting. Later, I decided to train myself. So, I went to City Literary Institute in London and from there, I went to Dance Centre. Flora Street, to learn dancing. After which I went to Actors Forum where I met Olu Jacobs. Both of us were at Actors Forum in London and Bud Flamingo was our teacher. Finally, I went to the Guild Hall School of Music and Drama. It’s the premier performance training college.
Which production was your debut?
Can I remember the film? It’s a long time, but the one I can remember most is A Warm December with veteran black American actor, Sydney Portie. They are the people who created Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes and all your current stars.
Who is your role model?
Oh! I have very many of them in performing arts because in Europe and America, there are so many good talents. I have Betty David, Catherine Hepburne. These are the amazons of the theatre.
Do you have any phobia?
Do I have any phobia? None whatsoever.
What does it feel like coming from abroad to reside in Nigeria? What are the things you miss?
Oh! I miss not being able to get dressed, maybe once a week, to go and see a play, to go and see a concert. I miss not being able to put on the radio and television and see a wonderful concert, see a wonderful film. I know that we have satellite and all that now, but somehow it’s not quite the same. These are some of the things I miss. Otherwise, I don’t miss the weather. We are very lucky here. We have summer 12 months in a year. That’s wonderful. Apart from that, I miss the lifestyle that develops the mind, which gives you intellectual development. There is shortage of recreation in Nigeria and of course, I miss the fact that people don’t respect enough the profession I practice.
Can you trace the circumstances that led to your becoming a widow?
How can I describe the circumstance? Death just came. I was in a production (Holy Child) with Olu Jacobs and co at the National Theatre (in Iganmu, Lagos) when it happened.
Tell us about him.
He’s Thomas Aldvidge Lycett. He died at 65 on December 31, 1993. I was in the midst of production when he took ill. We thought it was just fever. I was never able to be around to look after him because I was going for rehearsals. I finished one day, rushed to the hospital to find out that he was dead. He died at 8 o’clock and I finished rehearsal at about 9.30p.m. Because it was New Year, I didn’t bother to tell anybody. I didn’t want to upset anybody. We still had two more days to go for the production, but I still managed to stagger through my performance until the final day. That’s how he died and since then, I’ve been struggling alone.
What kind of person was he and what do you miss most about him?
Oh! Wonderful. The best. I miss his friendship, his loyalty. He thought I was absolute, he thought I was the best thing, he thought I was the most intelligent person, he thought I was so bright, I was wise. He thought I was God’s gift to mankind. So, after his death, I was devastated. There was nobody to talk to, he was my best friend, I could say anything to him and he could say anything to me. He was my greatest and the most critical critic of my life. He could tell me anything. He was…(goes emotional).
What was he into before death beckoned?
He was a historian and an advertising practitioner. He was the advertising manager for Shell Chemical International. He was also into oil. But like me, he likes the entertainment world. He was very, very bright. The most intelligent man I’ve ever seen. Very quiet, very self-effacing, fine man, well read, beautifully educated, impeccable manners, erudite person, very multi-dimensional, very, very talented. He never thought he was a performer of any sort yet he was an artiste. He was a better artiste than many practicing artistes. He was so immersed in this business of the arts. He was everything to me. He was not one that will say my wife is so wonderful an actor. He would even give me the flaws more than anybody else could. He was somebody I respected greatly in relation to work. I haven’t done very much after his death.
How did you meet him and what attracted you to him?
What attracted him to me? Well, I met him in a very strange way. I was already an established actor, young, but very popular in Europe and I had come to rent an apartment in one area. He had a house opposite the house and my agent asked me to go and view the place. I arrived in my car and those days in Europe, I used to dress like an African, look my best. I wore a hat and a dress, in tie and dye material. So, I arrived, alighted from the car and…Later, he told me that he saw a vision, apparition, that’s what he called it; got out of his house and thought who could this be? That’s my wife, I’m going to marry her.
Just like that?
Just like that. Apparently, he knew that somebody was coming. All the top artistes were living there…So, when I moved in, the neighbours came and introduced themselves. He said I was Mr. So, So, So. I’m having a birthday party and you are invited. I went to the party, met him and we started talking; while everybody was gone, we talked all through the night. We talked about books, the new books that had come out, the authors. After the party, he travelled to Latin America, Caribbean, etc. He wrote me from there and telephoned me every day. That’s how we fell in love and thereafter, we never separated and eventually, we got married. I said I was coming here (Nigeria) and we came here.
When did both of you get married?
So many years ago.
How about the children?
They are fine. There is Shalini Jane, Adam Ved and my first son, Debo Adetilaju who was by my first husband. They are all grown up and I’m a grandmother. I have many grandchildren.
Do you have any regret coming back to Nigeria?
None whatsoever.
What about being an actor in Nigeria?
My regret is that I’m not doing as much work as I would like to do. That’s my only regret.
Tell us your favourite colour, food, car and hobbies?
My favourite colours used to be black and gold. Now, I like all colours. My hobbies are swimming, reading, listening to jazz, and classical music and doing yoga. I’m not particular about food, but I like salad and omelette. I’m not particular about cars too. They are just for moving from here to there. I don’t worry overly much about that. My lifestyle is very simple. It’s about health, fitness and exercise. I’d rather read, watch a good movie, do yoga, swim and talk.
What will you like to be remembered for when you die?
As an actor. Simple!
What are your expectations for the movie industry?
That we do it so well. That we take our films to other countries, that people show our films on their network, all over Africa. That’s my expectation, and that we compete in future with someone in Oscar.
What are you presently into?
I’m running the school (TAL). I hope in the not-too-distant future to produce a play written by an international playwright. I don’t want to say anything yet until the whole thing is ready. I also want to produce a stage play. It’s going to be a historical play. I’m working on the budget and all that.
Finally, when you meet your co-veterans, what do you normally discuss?
What productions we are doing, what project the individual concerned is doing. Also catch up an old times and remember what we used to do in the olden days.