Nigerian writer and literary critic Tope-EniObanke Adegoke has been selected to participate in the 2025 International Forum of Berliner Festspiele: Theatertreffen, a leading platform for global theatrical innovation as a playwright.
Adegoke, based in Ibadan, Nigeria, is one of 33 young theater makers chosen from a record-breaking 880 applicants across 110 countries for the forum, which runs from May 2 to May 18, 2025.
This year, the forum, co-directed by Aljoscha Begrich and Sima Djabar Zadegan, will relocate to Uferstudios in Berlin’s Wedding district—a former tram depot offering a unique space for artistic exploration. The theme, inspired by the depot’s transformative potential, poses provocative questions: What happens when theater and art leave their habitual spaces? How does reality shape theater—and vice versa? Can theater itself become a vehicle for change, transporting its participants to new perspectives?
Adegoke and his fellow artists will delve into these inquiries through workshops led by artists Joana Tischkau, Wang Chong, and the collective Turbo Pascal, alongside reflective encounters with Theatertreffen’s invited artists.
Adegoke’s selection from such a competitive pool reflects his critical acclaim and the growing influence of African voices in global performing arts. During the forum, he and his peers will engage in a non-stop, two-week scenic research process without the pressure to produce, attending festival productions, late-night discussions in the hotel lobby, and early-morning workouts. The public will gain insight into their work through “The Forum’s Forum,” an event offering a playful glimpse into their creative processes.
Adegoke’s background adds significant depth to his participation. While primarily listed as a playwright for the forum, research reveals he is also known as Tọ́pẹ́-ẸniỌbańkẹ́ Adégòkè, a writer and literary critic, an Alumni at the Library Of Africa and The African Diaspora and the co-founder of Fortunate Traveller, a travel journal. His contributions extend to writing for Wawa Book Review and Africa in Words, where he has shared reviews and interviews.
His chapbook, “Transacting Stories: Markets, People and Places,” has been exhibited at the 2019 AfriCologne Festival in Germany and the 12th Bamako Encounters – African Biennale of Photography in Mali, showcasing his global reach.
This versatility across genres, including his statement “I read, I write; therefore I am,” illustrates his artistic identity, making his participation in the forum a notable intersection of theater and literary arts.
Read more about the Berliner Festspiele’s 2025 Theatertreffen Forum.
Congratulations Tọ́pẹ́-ẸniỌbańkẹ́ Adégòkè on this big win!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
