Tired of depressing ‘Japa’ stories? Then you need to see The Embalmer Inside, the two-man play that’s taking the festival circuit by storm!
At first glance, the plot sounds grim: Dotun, a Nigerian immigrant in the UK (played brilliantly by Precious Ojo), is a mortuary attendant preparing to embalm the body of Mariam (the superb Susan Ajibade), another Nigerian who worked herself to death.
But here’s the twist: the ‘corpse’ sits up, asks for water, and launches into a conversation so funny, honest, and real that you forget you’re watching a drama in a morgue.
The production by Langfield Pictures, which explores the distressing realities of migration otherwise known as the ‘Japa’ syndrome, has already proven its critical acclaim, captivating audiences at the 2025 Lagos Fringe Festival at Freedom Park. This was as the play left a strong impression at the recent Brighton Fringe outing.
Director Babatunde Mayokun and Producer Yemi Olanrewaju were clear: this vital story about the mental health toll of migration needed comedy to make it stick. And it works! The play is packed with long, intense monologues and high energy, yet actors Ojo and Ajibade pulled it off with incredible mastery.
“We realized that people don’t want to come and watch a play and leave the place crying. So, if you want to talk about such serious matter, you can brilliantly put a little bit of humour into it so that people won’t leave your show depressed. They have to go home excited knowing that there’s hope for the future. So that’s why we decided to tell a distressing story in a comical way,” Olanrewaju explained. No doubt, the audience ended up entertained while soaking in the messages embedded in the play.
The Embalmer Inside delivers a powerful message- speak out, seek help, and prioritize mental health—without sending you home depressed. “Your mental health is paramount in all that you do. Also, you want to move abroad. Nothing wrong with moving abroad but know that it comes with challenges. So, prepare your mind for those challenges. Don’t expect that it’s going to be a bed of roses,” Olanrewaju stressed, adding the play’s philosophy, “when life throws you lemons, you make lemonade out of it.”
It’s timely, technical, and terrific. Don’t miss this show anytime there’s an opportunity to do so.
