Theatre

Locked In

2008 REVIVAL NOW BOOKING! Locked In We're da Two Wise Men an dis is how it goes We chat about da issues dat need to be exposed Cos out dere on road fings is reachin overload Dere's a bomb in dis manor an its gonna Explode! On the 20th floor of an abandoned East End tower block, a Caribbean MC and Bengali DJ rip up the airwaves on a leading pirate station. Blaze and Riqi are sick of people telling them what to do – go to school, do your exams, blah blah blah … Don't people know talent when they hear it? Their last CD was a massive hit and they're all set to hit the big time with their first live set at Exile FM's birthday bash coming up. Then Zahida comes into their lives and cracks begin to appear in their friendship. When a local gangster asks Blaze for a serious favour, suddenly there's a choice to be made that could split their world wide open. Locked In is a powerful three-hander, developed in direct contact with young people, ensuring authentic language, portraying diverse cross-cultural inner-city life and characters, underscored by a contemporary hip hop soundtrack. First produced and toured by Half Moon Young People's Theatre in autumn 2006, the script subsequently won the runner-up prize in the 2008 Brian Way Award. The autumn 2008 revival is now booking for its national tour. "An astonishing, enthralling production … human, believable and utterly compelling. The impeccable choreography is mesmerising … and the clever, complex lyrics are the icing on the cake." The Stage "Locked In is an example of that rare, beautiful creature: a youth-marketed play that really does make a connection with its audience." Croydon Advertiser peer review "Kennedy [has a] highly attuned ear for the patter of local kids and understanding of tribal loyalties ... Angela Michaels' production is steely, and the young cast live and breathe their roles ... the show has you in its grip." The Guardian Tariq (Kim Lee Hardy), Blaze (Ashley J) and Zahida (Ambur Khan) in the Half Moon Young People's Theatre 2006 production. Click here to read script sample. Click HERE for the autumn 2008 national tour schedule.