In Hiding - the play

Synopsis

"You have a duty to give my son an education. To be the anchor for his future." ~ Bimpe DeCosta

Bimpe has been the talk of the town, only, she has not been in town to hear it as she has been “In Hiding”, shielding herself and her autistic son from the unforgiving gaze of Lagos high society. Her self-imposed exile is abruptly ruptured when she attends the “Owambe” of all Owambes and is forced to navigate the social norms of a world where tradition is at odds with her experience of motherhood.

The Inspiration

Wonder Olusina attended the scratch version of “Soupcase” at Theatre503 in October 2019, she is one of the few black speech therapists in the UK and has a passion for raising awareness, intervention for families and individuals with disabilities. She asked whether Adenike could write a play to raise awareness in respect of autism within the Nigerian community which is still stigmatised and often hidden. This birthed “In Hiding”.

Speaking with parents and professionals working with SEN children, Adenike was able to create a piece that has positively touched the lives of those familiar with the challenges of autism and the impact it has on families and within the wider community.

The Journey

Adenike submitted the scratch version of “In Hiding” to Queen’s Theatre and it was accepted for their scratch night in March 2022 with positive feedback on its continuous development.

In May 2022 Adenike submitted the script to Flairbox playdates which was accepted for a private reading, and for which the Artistic Director of Tower Theatre Simona Hughes attended and provided positive feedback.

In July 2022 “In Hiding” was accepted for a two week run for Tower Theatre’s summer season in 2023. The play not only garnered critical acclaim but also achieved a historic sellout for the theatre with a substantial waitlist. "In Hiding" was shortlisted for the 2022-2023 VAULT Five mentoring programme, And in October 2023, Adenike won Best playwright for In Hiding, at the Black British Theatre Awards.

In-Hiding - at Lagos Fringe

Following the success of In Hiding at Tower Theatre and the Black British Theatre Awards, the play was accepted for presentation as part of the 2024 Lagos Fringe Festival.

Working with creatives in Nigeria, In Hiding brought together talent from both London and Lagos, to tell a story that this captive audience could relate to and walk away with renewed considerations for those affected by neurodiversity. Edited for this occasion, In Hiding was thus 1 of only 3 plays featured from the UK.

Reviews

"I don’t actually have the language skills to express how beautifully brilliant this play was. The most heartwarming, important piece of theatre I may have EVER seen. Such an important topic expressed so creatively and truthfully, I laughed & cried and felt every single human emotion.“

Nkechi

"l absolutely loved how the play resonated authentically with Black audiences who were deeply engaging with the strong cultural references on stage - yes the writer had THEM in mind. And, as a white Italian man, I found myself delighting in the unique beauty of experiencing a cultural dash.“

People of Theatre

"‘In Hiding’ highlights the profound and unique challenges faced by parents of neurodivergent children. Exploring the intersection of neurodivergence within the Black community and addressing the critical lack of support for parents of disabled children, this play is crucial for raising awareness and fostering conversations."

Black SEN Mamas

"10/10 show. It really brought the Yoruba culture to life and the struggles of motherhood, including the challenge of raising neurodiverse children."

Yetunde

"It was amazing! Really touching and thought provoking. This was an enlightening way to shed light on Autism."

Anonymous

"Very insightful, very heart wrenching. People have to see it because there is someone in your family, someone in your community that is struggling and it is for all of us to be supportive."

Grace

I just want to get to work

Uncover how life inspires art, and give us pause for thought.

Soupcase

Discover more about this Rapid Response inspired piece.

Works in progress

Find out what else we are working on here.