ABIOLA OGUNBIYI has just made an impressive transition to television after years of work in numerous productions across West End, Regional, and International theatres. In 2016, she was nominated for an Offie Award for Best Female Performance for her role as Tisana in the world premiere of 'GIRLS'. Now, Abiola will be seen in the second series of Sky's period drama 'Jamestown' - which follows the first English settlers as they establish a community in the New World. Abiola also self-produced, directed and edited short film called THE DANISH GIRL (inspired by the feature film’s title), which premiered at The 2016 Hackney Attic Film Festival. I was keen to talk to her about film festivals, the differences in the stage and the screen and filming in Hungary for 'Jamestown'.

AC: Talk to us about ‘The Danish Pastry Girl’, how did the idea for that short film come about?
I was watching an Anatomy Of A Scene clip on the New York Times website for the original film, and Tom Hooper was giving a commentary on the scene where Eddie Redmayne’s character Lili models a dress for his wife. Lili goes through a series of conflicting emotions, and the tone of the scene is bolstered by this beautiful, romantic score. The scene wasn’t comical at all but something in me just thought ‘ooo, what if someone felt that way, but after eating a danish pastry?’ And it would still be called The Danish Girl, but it would be a sort of philosophical love letter to food.

Would you say the short film is the perfect introduction to your kind of comedy?
It’s definitely an insight into the way I like to work, which is very much to use what I know, both within my writing and in a production sense. I’ll take a personal experience and heighten and distort it, whilst also looking for what makes it universal, and working to emphasize that. There’s also an undertone of social commentary in my work; I love the idea of laughter as a window through which I can allow people to engage with that commentary.

The film premiered at Hackney Attic Film Festival, what are some of the misconceptions of film festivals? Have you got any advice for Film Festival first-timers?
That year was Hackney Attic’s inaugural festival, and with the budget and technical limitations I had making the film, I was grateful just to have had it selected. In hindsight, I’d like to have had more pride in having a completed work that was shown in front of an audience (who responded well!) and on a big screen. I nearly didn’t go to the screening, I was that anxious. But my mum refused to let me stay at home, and for that, and many other things, I’ll always be grateful to her.

Were you a fan of ‘Jamestown’ before joining?
I actually got the job before I’d even watched a trailer for the show, which in hindsight was a gift as I’d definitely have had a lot more audition fear. It was only after getting the part that I started seeing posters for the series everywhere I went, which is always the way; I was really excited to be joining a show with three bold and audacious women at its helm, as well as being produced by the team behind Downton Abbey, one of the most popular British dramas of all time.

What are some of the things that make you want to say ‘YES’ to a project?
The script. That a character isn’t just a vehicle for someone else’s story; they have a carefully considered arc with depth and dimension, but left with space to be brought to life in performance. And that the people involved want to and can help facilitate that.

Did you have to do lots of research for the role, with it being set in the 1600s?
I did, and it was nice to get to expand on the research I started when auditioning for the show. The 17th century wasn’t a period of time I was completely familiar with; as well as learning about the experience for indentured servants within Jamestown, I also had to dig deep to find descriptions of life for the people of Kingdom of Kongo before they were kidnapped and taken across the sea. The life that they would have lived more of when the audience meets them. That was very crucial for me in order to get a deep sense of the life that Maria was snatched from and stripped of.

With most of the filming taking place in Hungary, how much time were you spending there?
In the 4 months of shooting, I only spent 5 days back in the U.K. so Hungary was literally a summer home. Our set locations were all about an hour’s drive away from Budapest city centre. So as well as the time in town and on-set, there was also a lot of road tripping through the Hungarian countryside.

What’s Hungary like as a country?
Hungary has had a very tumultuous history, the consequences of which are still present, even as tourism and modernity increasingly influence its economy. I spent most of my downtime in Budapest, which is a beautiful city to stroll around and get lost in. You can walk round corners and pass courtyard cafés inspired by European coffee culture, next door to gothic buildings covered in bullets from the Hungarian revolution. It’s very sobering. The country is a cultural kaleidoscope, full of unique offerings (the spas and ruins bars are a must!). It was a wonderful place to spend the summer; I hope we get it do it all again.

What can we expect from season two of ‘Jamestown’?
Season two sinks deeper into the grittiness that season one began to tap into. The series will show, in quite harrowing ways, just how far some characters are willing to go to uphold their status and influence, and how they attempt to justify their actions and ideologies. Be it physical or emotional, exploitation is rife; as a result, the bonds and alliances that are formed will be extremely poignant in a world where it feels as though no-one can be trusted.

Could any similarities be found from working on ‘Jamestown’ and the West End stage?
That what an audience sees could not be achieved without the relentless hard work of several people whose faces they will not see; the people who put us in the position to be able to do our work to the best of our ability. And the spontaneous song and dance parties.

Super Quick Questions with Abiola Ogunbiyi

Best show to binge-watch? Veep.

What’s the strangest food combo you’ve ever had? Brown rice noodles, hummus, and hot sauce. It was outstanding.

What’s on your music playlist at the moment? Some of my favourite tracks at the moment are by Goldlink, Kehlani, KAYTRANADA, DJ Khaled, and Jay Park (k-pop is life).

Favorite band? Outkast.

Favorite solo artist? P!nk.

Everyone has a cool app idea, what’s yours? I’ve given my coolest idea to my sister because she’s an engineer and could actually make it happen. Sorry; it’s a dog eat dog world out here.

Advice to your younger self? Learn how to braid your hair.

Is there one thing in particular that you’re really excited about for the future? Having a house full of books.

A sport you wish you could play? I wish I knew how to surf.

What was the last book you read? Stay With Me by Ayòbámi Adébáyò; absolutely merciless.

Would you rather be at a mountain hideaway or a beach house? A (central-heated) mountain hideaway.

What is the farthest you have been from home? China.

Do you have an aim or a target for the year ahead? To make it to the end with my head screwed on. And write a musical comedy album.

’Jamestown’ Season 2 is airing now on Sky One

© 2018 Crookes Magazine / Adam Crookes