Ade Solanke facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adeola Solanke
Solanke in 2020 discussing the anthology New Daughters of Africa, to which she contributed.
Born	London, UK
Nationality	British
Other names	Ade Solanke
Education	University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts; Goldsmiths, University of London; University of Sheffield
Occupation	Playwright, screenwriter, arts journalist
Employer	University of Greenwich
Notable work	Pandora's Box (2012); East End Boys, West End Girls (2015)

Adeola Solanke, also known as Ade Solanke, is a talented British-Nigerian writer. She writes plays for the stage and screenplays for movies. She is famous for her first play, Pandora's Box, which was shown in London in 2012. This play was even nominated for an award!

Ade Solanke also helped write the award-winning BBC Radio show Westway. She also wrote the movie Dazzling Mirage (2014), which was filmed in Nigeria. Ade started her own company called Spora Stories. This company creates exciting plays and movies that tell stories about people from the African diaspora. This means stories about people of African origin who live in other parts of the world. Before becoming a full-time writer, Ade worked as a journalist and in radio and TV.

Early Life and Learning

Adeola Solanke was born in London, UK. Her parents were from Nigeria. She grew up with her three sisters in areas of London called Ladbroke Grove and Notting Hill.

She went to several universities to study writing. She earned a special degree in Screenwriting from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in the USA. She was even a Fulbright Scholar, which is a very special scholarship! She also studied creative writing at Goldsmiths, University of London. Plus, she has a degree in English literature from the University of Sheffield.

Her Writing Career

Ade Solanke started her career by reading and analyzing movie scripts for big Hollywood companies. These included Sundance, New Line, and Disney. Her first two screenplays, Femi’s Thirtieth and Finishing School, were both semi-finalists in a big screenwriting contest in Los Angeles.

For some years, she wrote articles for newspapers and magazines. These included The Guardian and The Times Literary Supplement. In 1988, she started her own company, Tama Communications. This company helped with writing and publicity, especially for groups helping the community. Her company was even called an "outstanding enterprise" and won an award!

Ade has also taught writing at different universities. She taught at Goldsmiths, University of London, and the Pan-African University in Lagos, Nigeria. Since 2015, she has been a senior lecturer in Creative Writing at the University of Greenwich.

Radio and Film Work

Ade Solanke was part of the writing team for the popular BBC radio drama Westway. In 2009, she wrote a film called Family Legacy for the NHS. This film was about people living with sickle-cell disease. It was shown widely and reached millions of people in the UK, USA, and West Africa. Later, she wrote the screenplay for the Nigerian movie Dazzling Mirage (2014).

Pandora's Box

Ade Solanke's first play to be shown on stage was Pandora's Box. It first appeared in 2008 and then had its big premiere in London in 2012. The shows were completely sold out! In 2014, the play went on a tour across the UK. This was one of the biggest tours ever for a play by a Black writer in the UK.

Pandora's Box is a funny and serious play about a British-Nigerian mother. She is on holiday in Lagos, Nigeria, with her son. She has to decide whether to leave him at a strict Nigerian boarding school or take him back to London. The play received amazing reviews. Critics called it "Honest, simple, enthralling" and "Firecracker theatre."

East End Boys, West End Girls

In 2015, Ade Solanke directed her second play, East End Boys, West End Girls. It was shown in different places around London. The play explores life in a big city. Reviews said it was "thought-provoking" and that Ade handled the social messages with "sensitivity and intelligence."

The Court Must Have a Queen

Ade Solanke's newest play is called The Court Must Have a Queen. It is about King Henry VIII's marriage to Anne of Cleves. The play also features John Blanke, an African Tudor musician. He played music for both King Henry VII and King Henry VIII. He is the first Black person in the UK for whom we have both a picture and a written record! This play was performed at Hampton Court Palace in 2018.

Other Creative Projects

Ade Solanke is also working on a play about Phillis Wheatley, an important historical figure. The play is called Phillis in London. Another play, Phillis in Boston, was shown in November 2023.

She also contributed to a book called New Daughters of Africa in 2019. This book is a collection of writings by African women.

Works

Theatre

• Pandora's Box (2012)
• East End Boys, West End Girls (2015)
• The Court Must Have a Queen (2018)

Film

• The Family Legacy (2009)
• Dazzling Mirage (2014)

Awards and Recognition

Ade Solanke has won many awards for her work.

• In 1989, she was named London's Top Youth Entrepreneur for her business, Tama Communications.
• In 2012, she won Best Playwright at the Nigerian Entertainment and Lifestyle Awards. She also won Best Playwright at the Afro-Hollywood Awards.
• Her play Pandora's Box was nominated for the Best New Play award in 2012.
• In 2015, East End Boys, West End Girls won Best Play at the Black Entertainment, Film, Fashion, Television and Arts Awards.
• In 2016, she received a special award from the University of Sheffield.

She has also received many scholarships and literary awards, including:

• 1992: Fulbright Scholarship
• 2010: Peggy Ramsay Award