The world première of The Legends of Them, written and performed by award-winning reggae star, leading actor and Brixton luminary Sutara Gayle AKA Lorne Gee, marking her debut show as a writer-performer, will play at Brixton House.
The production, directed by Jo McInnes, opens at Brixton House on 19 September with previews from 14 September and runs until 30 September.
The Legends of Them charts the story of Sutara Gayle’s extraordinary life – a pioneering female deejay on London’s infamous reggae scene in the 1980s, Lorna Gee cut her cloth performing for the legendary Saxone, Coxsone and Nasty Rockers sound systems.
The Legends of Them is coming to Brixton House, what can you tell us about the show?
It tells the story of my life journey when I went to India with my brother Mooji who is a well known spiritual teacher. I did a silent retreat and in the first four days all the difficult things that have happened in my life came flooding back. In that retreat the legends of my life come to guide me. Those people are my mother, my sister Cherry Groce (who was shot by the police in her bedroom in 1985 and which sparked the second Brixton uprising) and Nanny of the Maroons of whom I’m a direct descendant. It’s a show full of music as I’m also known as a reggae artist.
This is your debut as a writer-performer, what inspired you to create the show?
On that silent retreat in India I knew I needed to tell this story. A lot of the experiences that I had up until that point were dictating my life journey. I needed to shed.
What did you find most difficult about writing it?
I think I had a block on letting this story out and making myself vulnerable. Visiting painful memories has been difficult, but that has been helped through Mooji’s teachings and letting go of ego. The show has told us what it wanted to be and it’s taken many years to get to this point.
And what are you most looking forward to about performing The Legends of Them?
I was born and bred in Brixton and it means a lot to me for the show to be here. I really want the people of my community and those in similar communities to see it and I’m looking forward to sharing it with them.
What’s it been like working with director Jo McInnes?
It’s been incredible. She is a brilliant theatre maker and actor and we both share a very similar work ethic. We excite each other!
What would you say to anyone thinking of booking The Legends of Them?
Don’t think, just do it! The show is going to be an amazing night out and something that people won’t have seen before.
