Apartment N1: Another masterpiece from Uncle Ebo Whyte

By Bernard Yaw ASHIADEY

To the regular attendants it was one of those nights that the legend has delivered yet another masterpiece but to the first timer, it was a night they will cherish forever and cannot wait for yet another.

The legend is Uncle Ebo Whyte, the playwright; the event was the showing of his latest play, Apartment N1 at the National Theatre, a tragicomedy that got the audience laughing but still getting the message of ‘the evil that one does will come back to haunt you’.

Indicative of his plays, this action-packed, suspense-filled and humour-laden play got every patron, privileged to be invited to the premiere, clapping and cheering unceasingly.

Apartment N1 is a perfect tragicomedy delicately woven; a story in which every single person is caught in a web helped weave him or herself.

Since the day Joseph escaped from Portiphar’s wife, not so many men have been able to escape the lusting desire of a desperate woman. So when Uncle Ken escaped from the trap of Serwaah in the plush Apartment N1, little did he know it would cost him his ministerial appointment if he allowed his animal instincts to take the better of him.

After escaping from Serwaah's seduction, Uncle Ken became a prime suspect when “Serwaah” was later found murdered in her room. Apart from proving his innocence in the murder case, Uncle Ken had to prove his faithfulness to his wife who was the detective handling the murder case.

Also a suspect in the case was Serwaah’s boyfriend who had had a fierce fight with her having suspected her of infidelity.

Another suspect was Serwaah’s close companion, Esi. In the twists of this story, it emerged that it was Uncle Ken’s father-in-law - father of the detective - who was rather dating Serwaah. The detective was not only stunned but confused.

As the drama unfolds more suspects are uncovered, but who actually pulled the trigger that sent “Serwaah” to her early grave remains a mystery for the investigator and the key actors.

Serwaah is part of a syndicate that specializes in blackmailing "big men" and extorting money from them. She had been paid to seduce Uncle Ken, sleep with him, record the act and use it destroy his political career.

But Uncle Ken quotes Proverbs Chapter 7 and 8, and threatens to quote Psalms if the seduction does not stop. He manages to escape. Embarrassed and ashamed, Serwaah leaves home and goes to church to pray for her sins.

But her best friend, Esi, working for a hit group, contracts someone else to murder Serwaah. This man who is an uncle of Serwaah's boyfriend, comes to Serwaah's apartment for the operation but tragically murders his own daughter taking a rest in the apartment.

The 90-minute or so play provided audience something to laugh about and some food for thought as well.