Nigerian Prodigy Hits It Big!
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Nigerian Prodigy Hits It Big!
Helen Oyeyemi secures 400,000 pounds publishing contract
The London Times
January 20, 2004
People with Andrew Pierce
Teenage prodigy reaches a new stage in her writing career
The teenage prodigy who secured a £400,000 publishing deal for a novel written during her A levels is to have her first play performed at Cambridge.
Helen Oyeyemi, 18, whose record-breaking two-book deal with Bloomsbury was disclosed in The Times last week, has had her play, Juniper's Whitening, accepted by the drama society at Corpus Christi College, where she is studying social and political sciences.
Because Oyeyemi's first novel, The Icarus Girl, will not be published until 2005, the production will be the literary world's first opportunity to decide how the young prodigy measures up to her heroes J.K. Rowling and Zadie Smith, whose accountant she shares.
Juniper's Whitening will be performed in April at the Corpus Christi
Playroom, a studio theatre that Stephen Fry helped to set up as a student in 1979, and of which he is now patron.
Oyeyemi, who is clearly no slouch, is also bringing out a literary magazine, Inward I, in which she will publish essays and short stories by other students, as well as penning her second novel.
The Icarus Girl is told from the point of view of an eight-year-old girl,
but Oyeyemi's theatrical debut is understood to be a more adult piece, dealing with cheerful themes of claustrophobia, paranoia and anxiety.
It is to be produced by The Fletcher Players, a drama group run by students at Corpus Christi, whose former members include the actor Hugh Bonneville.
The Fletcher Players are no strangers to high-profile productions, having had a hand in the controversial revival of Stephen Fry's only stage play Latin!, which was criticised by Tories for its paedophiliac content. That production transferred to the King's Head Theatre in North London last year.
Juniper's Whitening is likely to be well-served. Among the current students at Cambridge is Sarah Solemani, another hyper-achieving youngster, who spent her gap year appearing in The Graduate in the West End.
The London Times
January 20, 2004
People with Andrew Pierce
Teenage prodigy reaches a new stage in her writing career
The teenage prodigy who secured a £400,000 publishing deal for a novel written during her A levels is to have her first play performed at Cambridge.
Helen Oyeyemi, 18, whose record-breaking two-book deal with Bloomsbury was disclosed in The Times last week, has had her play, Juniper's Whitening, accepted by the drama society at Corpus Christi College, where she is studying social and political sciences.
Because Oyeyemi's first novel, The Icarus Girl, will not be published until 2005, the production will be the literary world's first opportunity to decide how the young prodigy measures up to her heroes J.K. Rowling and Zadie Smith, whose accountant she shares.
Juniper's Whitening will be performed in April at the Corpus Christi
Playroom, a studio theatre that Stephen Fry helped to set up as a student in 1979, and of which he is now patron.
Oyeyemi, who is clearly no slouch, is also bringing out a literary magazine, Inward I, in which she will publish essays and short stories by other students, as well as penning her second novel.
The Icarus Girl is told from the point of view of an eight-year-old girl,
but Oyeyemi's theatrical debut is understood to be a more adult piece, dealing with cheerful themes of claustrophobia, paranoia and anxiety.
It is to be produced by The Fletcher Players, a drama group run by students at Corpus Christi, whose former members include the actor Hugh Bonneville.
The Fletcher Players are no strangers to high-profile productions, having had a hand in the controversial revival of Stephen Fry's only stage play Latin!, which was criticised by Tories for its paedophiliac content. That production transferred to the King's Head Theatre in North London last year.
Juniper's Whitening is likely to be well-served. Among the current students at Cambridge is Sarah Solemani, another hyper-achieving youngster, who spent her gap year appearing in The Graduate in the West End.
Bàtà orí àkìtàn náà ròde ìyàwò rí
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original skeepolah
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SylverEagles
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Well one of those individual talents that get exposed NOT in Nigeria(cos it would never have happened) but when they leave Nigeria to go to countries where ppl are appreciated.
And then some ppl will come and begin to yarn dust about patriotism!!! Rubbish!!!
Congrats to the young girl, a pity i'm across the pond in Canada here cos i'll very much like to meet up with this young lassie..
And then some ppl will come and begin to yarn dust about patriotism!!! Rubbish!!!
Congrats to the young girl, a pity i'm across the pond in Canada here cos i'll very much like to meet up with this young lassie..
Last edited by SylverEagles on Thu Jan 22, 2004 5:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
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original skeepolah
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Thank you bo, everyone dey say patriotism. It does not really count here. patriotic to what. they just has a talent that has been exposedSylverEagles wrote:Well one of those individual talents that get exposed NOT in Nigeria(cos it would never have happened) but when they leave Nigeria to go to countries where ppl are appreciated.
And then some ppl will come and begin to yarn dust about patriotism!!! Rubbish!!!
Congrats to the young girl, a pity i'm across the pond in Canada here cos i'll very much like to meet up with this young lad..
when the chicken called for those to help her make bread no one came, but when she made it they all wanted to eat.......