Debo Adedayo, the Nigerian comedian, actor, content creator, and activist better known as Mr Macaroni, has completed his run in 55 Days, a historical stage production at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London, marking a significant new chapter in a career that has always been bigger than the internet gave it credit for.
The production ran from 15th to 18th July 2026 and was part of Mountview’s postgraduate season, showcasing the talents of the school’s MA Performance cohort. Mr Macaroni is currently studying for a Master of Arts in Performance at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, one of the United Kingdom’s most respected drama training institutions, and performed alongside fellow students in the programme’s major stage production of the season.
He played Lord Thomas Fairfax, Commander in Chief of the Parliamentary Army, a key figure during the English Civil War whose role was central to the events portrayed in the play. It is not a small role. Lord Fairfax sits at the heart of the moral and political tension that drives the story, a man of enormous military power who ultimately refused to participate in the trial of King Charles I, a decision that shaped the outcome of one of the most defining moments in British history.
55 Days is a play by celebrated British playwright Howard Brenton, first staged at Hampstead Theatre in October 2012 to considerable critical acclaim, with Mark Gatiss playing King Charles I and Douglas Henshall as Oliver Cromwell. Set in December 1648, the play depicts the dangerous days when, with England exhausted by civil war, a handful of powerful men attempted to think the unthinkable: to create a country without a king. What follows over 55 days, as Cromwell seeks to compromise with a king who will do no such thing, is nothing less than the forging of an entirely new world. The Mountview production was directed by James Yeatman, with set design by Nicolai Hart-Hansen, costumes by Sorcha Corcoran, lighting by Matt Hockley, sound by Sonum Batra, and stage management by Alex Kewley.
Reflecting on the experience, Mr Macaroni said it had been wonderful working with and learning from uniquely gifted talents on the production, and that he was most grateful for the beautiful moments shared, which he would continue to cherish.
The post-production photographs, which show Mr Macaroni fully costumed in a military uniform decorated with medals, beaming backstage alongside a castmate, have already generated over 40,000 likes on Instagram, with reactions pouring in from across the Nigerian entertainment community including Judith Audu.
For a man who built his name on social media comedy and street-level activism, stepping onto the stage of one of Britain’s most prestigious drama academies in a role this demanding says something important about where Debo Adedayo is taking his career. He has always been more than the character he plays online. 55 Days made that case in front of a live London audience.
