Showmax has unveiled 4 Play, an 18-rated adult drama that follows four men who, despite their chaotic personal lives, find friendship, love and perseverance in Nairobi’s concrete jungle.
Set to premiere on Showmax on 21 November, 4Play stars Daniel Weke (Mali), AMVCA nominee Elsaphan Njora (Kati Kati, Twende), Maina wa Ndungu (Kina, Volume), and Kalasha winner Bilal Wanjau (Faithless) as Malik, Allan, Edu, and Michael, the four main leads. Supporting this cast is renowned media personality and content creator Patricia Kihoro (Crime and Justice, Rafiki), singer and actress Habida Moloney (Zari), and Tracy Macharia (Big Girl Small World).
Produced by James Kombo (Pepeta) through his production company CJ3 Entertainment, 4Play is directed by Mwangi Rurengo (Pepeta), Janet Chumbe (Faithless) and Country Queen editor Mkaiwai Mwakaba, stepping into the director’s shoes for the first time. Abigail Arunga, known for her work on Junior, Pepeta and Lies that Bind, serves as the head writer. The late Charles Ouda (Pepeta, Salem) also serves as a writer and the casting director for the show.
“A lot of TV stories out there today focus on the woman’s perspective, and with 4 Play I wanted to show the other side of the story – the man’s story,” says Kombo, “Thereby, capturing the challenges we face, and the things men are going through every day in Kenya. Having grown up in Nairobi, I also wanted to portray an authentic story through its nightlife, flashy lifestyle, love life – that is part of the Nairobi culture, and that is what this show represents. The stories of our four leads are highly relatable because we are talking about real things men encounter to survive.”
Wrapped in humour, nightlife, and the quintessential grit of Nairobi, 4 Play promises viewers a bold, sexy, and real portrayal of contemporary Kenyan life. The series dives into themes of friendship, family, ambition, love, and lust in equal measure, painting a vibrant picture of the highs and lows that define Nairobi.
“4 Play is different from any other project I have done before because I felt like I was allowed to express my creative voice, especially in portraying adult relationships and sensuality,” show co-creator Abigail Arunga adds.
“It was fun to write something that is about four Kenyan men just being themselves. We conceived the idea with Kombo around the same time as Pepeta. While Pepeta draws on real life events, this show allowed me to delve into Nairobi’s pulse, exploring taboo themes like sex work, addiction, and what relationships mean here. There was a lot of room for imagination, and that is what makes this show so fresh and exciting.”
Catch 4 Play exclusively on Showmax from 21 November 2024, with new episodes every Thursday.