Misty Tickets

Playwright and actor Arinze Kene (“One Night in Miami,” “The Girl From the North Country”) stars in his own play about life in inner-city London. Blending poetry, rap, reggae and comedy, this contemporary fusion “feels more like a night in an intimate club than an evening at the theatre” (The Independent).

The captivating performance begins with a story about a fight on a night bus with a character called Virus. Kene paints London as a human body, comparing its inhabitants to blood cells under attack. But who gets to tell the city’s stories? Exploring urban struggles and what it means to be a black artist, this gig-like piece of theatre articulates the frustration that his stories can't just be stories. Instead, they stand for and outline the way blackness is seen. He finds himself caught between telling the truth and selling a lie. Friends and family push him one way; white producers and agents in another. The piece ultimately asks the question of whether the artist is a free agent, or whether they are defined by the identity politics of modern society.

14+. Please note that this production contains strong language, which covers violent, sexual and racially charged themes.

What to watch for

Director Omar Elerian and designer Rajha Shakiry create the impression that we are inside the mind of Kene, aided by great use of blood coloured balloons.

The music is provided by Shiloh Cooke on drums and Adrian McLeod on synths. Look out for when they join the action onstage, acting out the voicemails that Arinzé’s friends, Raymond and Donna, leave for him.

Playwright Arinze Kene won an Off-West End award at The Offies in 2011 for Most Promising Playwright.

In an attempt to show that the story is not specific to a man’s experience, a female understudy has been cast to cover the main male role played by Arinze.