Playwright and CEO of Globe Productions, Latif Abubakar, has revealed that his debut theatre production, Romantic Nonsense, was a massive hit that sold out multiple times when it premiered in 2009.
Speaking on Starr Showbiz with Feeling Daddy on Starr 103.5 FM, Abubakar said the success of his first-ever production created early excitement about his future in Ghana’s theatre industry.
According to him, Romantic Nonsense sold out at its initial showing and again during its rerun, filling a 1,500 auditorium and giving him the confidence that he had “found a path” in the industry.
“The interesting thing was that my first production was a hit… It was sold out, rerun… That was romantic nonsense in 2009.” He said, further noting that the initial triumph was followed by years of difficulty, as his subsequent productions struggled to attract audiences and generate enough revenue to sustain the work.
“It was a big disappointment later because we thought we had found an industry. As a young entrepreneur, imagine you do your first production and then you make so much money,” he said.
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“Only for us to do the second, the third, the fourth, the fifth, and it was just so disappointing. From filling a 1,500 auditorium to the stage where you are unable to pull 150 people. Just 150 people into an auditorium,” he recounted. “Even after we had realised the mistakes, we still couldn’t do it. That thing still marvels me.”
Abubakar added that despite the setbacks, the early success of Romantic Nonsense remained a significant part of his journey, urging him to push through challenges in an industry that, at the time, lacked corporate sponsorship, strong media backing, and a strong audience culture.
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The playwright has since grown into one of Ghana’s leading theatre voices, with major projects including The Second Coming of Nkrumah and Ghana Must Go.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
