Brixton Stories @ The Lyric

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Award winning writer Biyi Bandale makes his directorial debut

Making his directorial debut, award winning writer, poet and playwright Biyi Bandele takes inspiration from his novel The Street and opens the Lyric’s Autumn season of theMIX with a re-working of Brixton Stories. Originally developed through the RSC’s This Other Eden series in 2000, the play received widespread critical acclaim. This production sees an expanded cast of four bringing a multitude of characters to life.

Brixton Stories is a magical and surreal journey through the streets of Brixton, encountering a world populated by word-mongers, soap-box philosophers, prophets and preachers. Immigration lawyer Ossie Jones comes to terms with the loss of his wife while his daughter searches to find her father again. Biyi Bandele’s witty play is a celebration of cosmopolitan living in one of London’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.

Brixton-adopted Bandele is one of the most prolific writers of Nigerian origin living and working in the UK today. His writing style is described as rich and magical and his work has been compared to Ben Okri, Salman Rushdie and VS Naipaul.
Bandele’s extensive play-writing credits include the critically acclaimed Oroonoko (RSC, 1999), Marching for Fausa (Royal Court, 1993), Things Fall Apart (Ambassadors, 1997) and Happy Birthday Mr. Deka Dee (Lyric, 2000). His forthcoming book, Burma Boy will be published by Jonathon Cape in Spring 2007.

Eclectic and dynamic; theMIX offers some of the most exciting up-and-coming theatre companies in Britain today with an opportunity to showcase their work in the Lyric Studio as well as providing them with a range of artistic, technical and administrative support. theMIX season is made possible by the support of Deutsche Bank.

 

 

 

September 4, 2006