I spent many an hour toe-tapping and sometimes jumping up and down at guitar-heavy gigs at the Brixton Academy in my younger years, but I didn't know anything about how the venue came to be an icon of live music.
Brixton Calling at the Southwark Playhouse is that story, or rather the story of Simon Parkes, who, as a music-obsessed 23-year-old, persuaded the owners of a crumbling former cinema in south London to sell it to him for £1, so he could turn it into a gig venue.
The play, written by Alex Urwin, is based on Simon Parkes' memoir: Live At The Brixton Academy. It is a rollercoaster ride accompanied by live music.
This was the 1980s: Riots, IRA threats, racism and gangs looking to expand their protection rackets. The cinema was already a failed music venue and was crumbling away as a storage space for furniture.
When Simon (Max Runham) walks into the building for the first time, the moment is beautifully – and cheekily – captured, accompanied by a snippet of the song 'I Only Have Eyes for You' performed by Tendai Sitima.
Music, understandably given the material, plays an important role. It is a soundtrack to the mood, but also evokes the bands that played.
Brixton Calling isn't just a story about a venue; it's about music, different genres, and how they reflect society, culture, and the politics of the time.
Simon Parkes is an outsider from a privileged background far removed from those living in pre-gentrified Brixton.
He is naive about the task ahead of him and the dangers it will throw in his path, but is driven by his passion for live music and a vision for what the Brixton Academy, as he names it, could be.
He is cocky, bold – and lucky. He has an instinct for how to make the venue stand out and a place people want to be. All ably helped by his collaborator, Johnny Lawes (Sitima).
With great dexterity, Runham and Sitima bring to life an array of colourful supporting characters; the effect is a story that, alongside the music, bursts off the stage. (If you saw Cruise, this has the same team behind it.)
It is a play that is full and full on, in the best sense, although the music does occasionally drown out the dialogue. It is cheeky, humorous and occasionally tense, full of energy with plenty of toe-tapping or head nodding (depending on your preference).
I'm giving Brixton Calling ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Read my interview with Brixton Calling writer Alex Urwin.
Brixton Calling, Southwark Playhouse
Written by Alex Urwin and based on Simon Parkes' memoir Live at the Brixton Academy
Directed by Bronagh Lagan
Starring: Tendai Sitima and Max Runham
Running time: 100 minutes without an interval
Booking until 16 August, for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Southwark Playhouse website.
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