Title: Poet in Da Corner
Venue and Format: Live at the Royal Court
Innovation: Mix of a hip-hop concert and a live theater performance. Integration of music and theater.
A coming of age story inspired by Dizzee Rascal’s seminal album. In a strict Mormon household somewhere in the seam between East London and Essex, a girl is given Dizzee Rascal’s ground-breaking grime album, Boy in da Corner, by her best friend SS Vyper.
Precisely 57 minutes and 21 seconds later, her life begins to change – from feeling muted by dyslexia to spitting the power of her words; from being conflicted about her sexuality to finding the freedom to explore; from feeling alone to being given the greatest gift by her closest friend.
In this semi-autobiographical piece, step into a technicolour world where music, dance and spoken word collide, and discover how grime allowed Debris Stevenson to redefine herself.
THEATRE/COMPANY: The Royal Court Theatre
ARTISTS:
Playwrights: Debris Stevenson and Jammz
Composer: Michael “Mikey J” Asante
Director: Ola Ince
Actors: Debris Stevenson, Jammz, Kirubel Belay, and Cassie Clare
DATE OF PREMIERE: September 21, 2018
COUNTRY: England
LANGUAGE: English
CATEGORY: Interactive, Music
REVIEWS:
Hawking, Frey Kwa. “Review: Poet in da Corner at Royal Court.” Exeunt. October 6, 2018.
Akbar, Arifa. “Poet in da Corner review – thrilling grime musical leaves you Dizzee.” The Guardian. September 26, 2018.
Morgan, Fergus. “Review: Poet in da Corner (Royal Court).” WhatsOnStage. September 26, 2018.
