For six years, Eseosa Bernard has helped tell other people’s stories. She has starred in more than 10 interactive shows, and each one taught her how much she loves bringing a story to life.
Now she is creating one of her own: The Eseosa Show, what she describes as her first official production. The name and the initial idea date back to 2020, when she imagined a television or radio programme. This has evolved into a full entertainment event that promises a night of comedy, music, dance, fashion, and interactive theatre. During the show, the audience can also influence how the story unfolds.
The Eseosa Show will take place on Sunday, 6 December, at Pearl Event Garden, Lekki, Lagos.
In her conversation with OYA Magazine, she talks about why she stopped waiting, the risks of combining several art forms in one production and what she hopes the audience will take away from the experience.
Why now? What made you decide to stop waiting and start your own show?
The funny thing is, the name The Eseosa Show has been with me since 2020. So, in a way, this vision has been six years in the making. It wasn’t as clearly defined as it is today, but I knew I wanted to create something of my own. At the time, I hadn’t even started acting. I imagined it being a television programme or a radio show, but as I grew and found my place in the entertainment industry, the vision began to take a different shape.
Acting is where my passion for storytelling really comes alive. For the past six years, I’ve had the privilege of telling stories through other people’s productions, and I’m grateful for that journey. But I also felt it was time to tell a story from my own perspective and build something that reflects my creativity and my vision for entertainment.
That’s what The Eseosa Show represents for me. It lets me bring together different forms of entertainment that I genuinely love: interactive theatre, comedy, music, dance and fashion and create an immersive experience where people don’t just watch but actively participate.
December is a beautiful time to do that. After working hard all year, people want to relax, celebrate and have a good time. Imagine one night where you can enjoy all these different experiences rather than attending separate shows for each one. That’s the kind of night I want to create.
Ultimately, I believe it’s time to stop waiting for an opportunity to bring this vision to life and start building it myself, with God leading the way. I’ve carried the idea for years, and I feel ready to take that step.
Walk us through the interactive theatre segment. What can the audience actually decide, and what happens if they choose badly?
The beauty of the interactive theatre segment is that the audience gets to influence how the story unfolds. Whenever the characters face major decisions, we might present the audience with two options. Whichever option they choose determines how the story progresses.
Every decision comes with consequences. By the end of the play, we get to see whether the audience made the right choices or whether those choices led to the expected outcomes.
That’s why we encourage people to pay attention to every detail. Sometimes, the clues they need are already in the story; they just have to be attentive enough to notice them.
It reflects real life. We all make decisions based on what we know, what we’ve experienced and how we interpret situations. Sometimes we get it right, and sometimes we don’t. Here, the audience gets to influence the story and see the consequences of its choices.
Why bring comedy, music, dance and fashion together on one stage? What is the risk?
Honestly, my first response to that question is, “Why not?” These are all forms of entertainment that I personally enjoy, and I know a lot of people do too.
I’ve attended comedy shows, music concerts and theatre productions. I’m an actress; I have friends who are comedians and musicians, and I’ve seen how much joy each of these experiences brings people. So I thought, why should people have to choose one when they can enjoy different forms of entertainment in one night?
Imagine laughing your heart out at a comedy performance, enjoying music, dancing, seeing beautiful fashion displays, and then being part of an interactive theatre experience where your decisions influence the story. That’s the experience I want.
But that’s also what makes the vision special. I believe with God on my side and the support of my team and the people around me, we’ll bring it all together.
You have starred in more than 10 interactive shows. What did those shows teach you that made you want to start this one?
More than anything, those experiences reinforced how much I love art and entertainment. I love being part of the creative process, bringing stories to life and seeing people connect with what we create.
After being part of so many productions, I got to a point where I wanted to be on the other side of the process as well. I wanted to create something of my own, something that reflects my taste, my creativity and the way I see entertainment.
The Eseosa Show allows me to share my own interpretation of art and entertainment with people. I’ve helped create other people’s visions, and now I’m excited to create and share mine.
This is my first official production, so it’s a big step for me. I’m excited about what we are building, and about giving people an experience that carries my creative identity.
Who is this night for, and what should they leave feeling?
Honestly, The Eseosa Show is for everyone. Whether you’re an entertainer, a working professional, a corporate person, someone who loves art and entertainment, or simply someone who enjoys having a good time, there’s something for you. It could be friends looking for a fun night out, families wanting to spend quality time together, or people coming in from the diaspora.
It’s been a long year, and I want people to have a night where they can relax, let loose, laugh, enjoy great performances and experience something different.
More than anything, I want The Eseosa Show to be an experience people can’t stop talking about when they get home. I want them to relive the moments, tell their friends about it and look forward to the next edition. Even someone who misses the maiden edition should hear people talking about it and decide, “The next one? I’m definitely getting my ticket!”
I want people to leave fulfilled, excited and feeling like they’ve had one of the best nights out.
If the maiden edition goes well, what does Edition Two look like?
“If” ke! More like “when”. When the maiden edition is done successfully, I envision Edition Two being bigger, better and, hopefully, easier to execute.
They say experience is the best teacher, and this is my first official production. So, naturally, there will be so much to learn from it.
We’re putting a lot into publicity right now because this is the maiden edition, and we want people to discover The Eseosa Show and understand what we’re building. By the next edition, we hope that the audience we’ve reached will help spread the word. Friends will tell friends, families will tell families, and people who experienced the first edition will bring others along.
Ultimately, I want The Eseosa Show to keep growing into a bigger and better entertainment experience. I want us to learn from this edition, raise the bar and keep giving people reasons to look forward to the next one. This is the beginning, and I’m excited about what it will become.
Wow she is amazing