Between the Lines, New Diorama Theatre review

Original music and writing from social enterprise theatre company Big House hits all the right notes in its powerful examination of censorship and the role art plays in helping marginalised communities find their voice.

Between The Lines. Photo by Ali Wright.

Between the Lines follows the tight-knit ‘Shutdown Crew’ behind Blaze FM, a hit pirate radio station run illegally from an east London council flat in the early noughties. Over two fast-paced hours, we follow the highs and lows of the group across fifteen years, played out against an ever-looming backdrop of 9/11, the 7/7 bombings and the social and political instability faced by the  Windrush generation.

With “the biggest tunes, the baddest DJs and the realest truths”, Blaze FM is a pioneer in mid-2000s grime and jungle music, a champion of free speech and the swan song of a community facing escalating threats of redevelopment, police and gang brutality and racial tension.

The story centres around charismatic Blaze FM patriarch Hughbert (Andrew Brown), his ambitious, intelligent daughter Aisha (Anais Lone) and Alpha (Aliaano El-Ali), the wannabe grime artist son who seems to be losing his way in an increasingly hostile world. The rest of the ‘Shutdown Crew’ is a cast of local characters Hughbert has brought under his wing and welcomed into his home, a safe space where they can make music and broadcast against the establishment.

James Meteryard’s original script is a well-written, powerful exploration of intergenerational relationships in immigrant communities and freedom of speech. Co-written with DJ MC Jammz, original grime music features heavily throughout to great effect. The songs are clever and witty, weaving in astute political commentary. The performances are engaging and high-energy and win over the audience over right from the opening scene.

Between The Lines. Photo by Ali Wright.

The New Diorama theatre is small but used to great effect, with projections cleverly producing a multi-dimensional space where the audience is faced with towering blocks of council flats. Tina Tobey’s set design and Mic Pool’s videography come together seamlessly with Alex Forey’s lighting to create a growing sense of claustrophobia as the action reaches its crux.

Big House Theatre’s young, talented cast bring a believable authenticity to each character and the relationships they share. Anais Lone as Aisha stands out for her performance, and the interactions she has with Hughbert have a genuine, at times heart-wrenching, warmth. 

However, whilst performances are strong, the pace of the script leaves some characters feeling two-dimensional and a host of powerful storylines fight for space. We move quickly through a scene where one of the gang is killed in a knife attack, references are made to Hughbert’s involvement in the 1985 Broadwater Farm riots but never fully explored, and faceless employees from the local council knock menacingly on the flat’s door with varying threats of redevelopment, closing down the radio station and deportation. Whilst brave in its subject matter, Between the Lines tries to speak to too many issues and raises more questions than it answers.

Between The Lines. Photo by Ali Wright.

Between the Lines is born out of a powerful sense of community – Big House Theatre is a charity and production company that aims to support and transform the lives of care leavers and at-risk young people through the power of performance. This production is a testimony to the support of home-grown talent and authentic storytelling, and it has enormous potential.

Between the Lines is on at New Diorama Theatre until 1 June 2024. Location: 15-16 Triton St, London NW1 3BF. Running time: Approx. 2 hours 15 mins. Price: from £19. Book now.

Words by Ellen Hodgetts