Opening New Diorama Theatre’s sensational season this May is Between the Lines, a powerful play with music that looks at the importance of family, and freedom of expression, produced by The Big House and New Diorama Theatre. Directed by The Big House’s Artistic Director Maggie Norris and co-written by Grime MC Jammz (Poet in da Corner, Royal Court Theatre) and James Meteyard, this exciting production will look at the strength of community and the foundations of one of Britain’s most celebrated subcultures of rebel music – pirate radio.
Told through the lens of minority and immigrant communities, Between the Lines will highlight poignant stories from communities that settled in London post World War II and Windrush, showcasing the struggles and everyday losses faced and fought by these groups. Priding itself on playing Jungle and Grime to their avid listeners, Blaze FM is a pirate radio station geared to telling its listeners the real news of today. But with the constant signal cuts by DTI and warnings from the authorities, Between the Lines will confront the urgency to break away from society, set against the backdrop of turbulent political change.
Making his exciting debut at New Diorama Theatre, the cast will be led by Andrew Brown as Hughbert (Bullet Tongue, Mission and The Realness, The Big House) and he will be joined by Anais Lone (Times of Our Lies, Park Theatre) as Aisha with Alexander Lobo Moreno as Jason (Unexpected Twist, UK Tour) Marcus Reiss (The Realness, The Big House) as Pritstick. Alongside them will be Associate Artist for The Big House, Aliaano El-Ali (Mission, The Big House) as Alpha, Daniel Holden (No Man’s Island, The Big House) as Mute, Elijah Akintayo (No Man’s Island, The Big House) as Stephen and Naedean Pillay (1st LUV, Big House Theatre) playing the role of Sparkz.
Based in North London, The Big House are a highly respected charity that specialise in transforming the lives of marginalised young people, offering pathways into the creative sector whilst providing long-term support.
Founder, CEO and Artistic Director Maggie Norris (Mr Ratcliffe’s Revolution, Warner Brothers) has directed a decade worth of shows for The Big House, having previously specialised in national and West End transfers across the theatre sector. Between the Lines is written and composed by grime MC and record producer, Jammz (Poet in da Corner, Royal Court Theatre) and James Meteyard (Electrolyte, Queendome, Pleasance Theatre). Recipient of the Jerwood Arts Live Work Fund Nassy Konan, (Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster, Battersea Arts Centre) produces, having previously collaborated with Brixton House, The Old Vic and Sadler’s Wells.
Writer, Composer and Grime Artist Jammz comments, Between the Lines is inspired by the imagination and bravery of those who put themselves on the line, to not only play the music they were so passionate about, but to give communities like the one I came from a voice too. For me, this play is about standing up against the censorship that the establishment enacts on minority groups in this country, and how art can be a vehicle for us to speak out about the issues we face as a society.
This is especially relevant now, where views which don’t fit within the establishment’s agenda are suppressed and deplatformed.
