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We are living in an age where more and more women are either single by choice or default.
Today’s modern woman is saying ‘I do’ in her mid–30s or 40s. .
Some are even choosing to be a bachelorette for life.
While they are many reasons why this trend is prevalent today, the most common complaint is that the modern woman can hardly find a man to match her expectations.
Well, this juicy topic is the main theme of, How to Find A Husband, the latest romantic-comedy-drama series to hit our screens.
The film’s producer Erica Anyadike told The Nairobian that the series was inspired by the choice of many people to marry late.
“These days you can get into your late 20s and 30s and still have not found the right partner,” says Erica who is the Executive Producer at StoryLab, adding, “So do you settle? Many - not all - but most women hear the biological clocks ticking, get pressure from their families and from society, even if they’re successful and have friends and a full life. They start to focus on settling down. How To Find A Husband is about that crossroads in a woman’s life.”
She adds: “Our show is not just for single women alone, it speaks to single women, married women, single men, married men, couples, friends and their families. We deal with real-life, relevant issues. We have a broad crossover appeal.”
While the last two years has seen a flood of female themed television shows; from Sumu La Penzi, to Rush, Erica says How To Find a Husband, is a little different as it revolves around three middle-class and glamorous women with three very different attitudes to life and love.
“We did not want to come up with superficial characters that live in a glass houses; we wanted them to be relatable to our audience. The shows three main lead characters grapple with work, family, friendship and defining themselves instead of being defined by others. Ultimately, How To Find A Husband, is about how to find yourself, but there’s a lot of romantic comedy along the way,” explains Erica, adding “a lot of series flop because they fail to connect with the audience not because of the story line but because their script and dialogue is not very impressive.
Storylab thus worked with six established script writers for its first two seasons: Abigail Arunga, Benson Njuguna, Jacque Ndinda, Clifton Gachugua, Voline Ogutu and Njihia Mbitiru. “They are either poets, published authors or have writing experience,” says Erica. “I had worked with them before and trained some of them, so we were familiar with the process.”
Sarah Hassan, Lizz Njagah in lead roles The first season of 13 episodes has already aired on DSTV Maisha Magic Channel 161, the second half will be returning before the end of the year.
Comedy is very hard to pull off and How To Find a Husband stars Mumbi Maina, Sarah Hassan and Lizz Njagah Konstantaras in the lead roles as “their comic timing was incredible” says Erica while Nice Githinji, Nana Gichuru, Neville Misati, Lenana Kariba, Joe Kinyua, Joed Ngaruiya and Martin Githinji as supporting cast.
Besides, Erica Anyadike, the writer and director also has developed and produced Jane & Abel, Wrath and Sumu La Penzi.
The one-time commissioning editor and programming manager at SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) who was headhunted as a writer for the South African soap Isidingo, attended Wits University for her Honours in Film and Television.
