Who says Shakespeare and Chekhov should get all the action when it comes to providing a blueprint for modern storytelling? In the second outing of her acclaimed grime-inspired gig-theatre show, poet and academic Debris Stevenson joyfully uses Dizzee Rascal’s debut album as a framework for her own coming-of-age story.
Loud, fast and full of campaigning spirit, it also gets one over on Chekhov in another way: I’ve never seen anyone waving their hands in the air during The Seagull.
But this is much more than the story of how a battered CD of Boy in Da Corner helped liberate Stevenson from her strict Mormon upbringing, where her mum insisted God loved her – but didn’t want her to love girls.
Early on, the stage is invaded by her best friend and pirate DJ SS Vyper (played by co-writer Jammz), the best friend who introduced her to grime, demanding to know why she’s co-opted his story.
There’s a lot to absorb in Ola Ince’s kaleidoscopic production, and not all of the issues Stevenson raises cut through with the same impact. But the unwavering lens she places on her own white privilege while delivering a passionate showcase for an underestimated artform makes for an electric night of theatre.
Until February 22; royalcourttheatre.com
February's best theatre
