THEATRE REVIEW: Poet in Da Corner ★★★

Poet in Da Corner
The Royal Court, London
Dates

Based on Dizzee Rascal's 'Boy in the Corner', which was a turning point for Grime, Debris Stevenson also felt the same, as after she listened to the album in full, it started to change her life, as she started to struggle with her sexuality, trust in friends, and her relationship with her family, especially with her mother.

Stevenson and Jammz, who both feature heavily and play versions of themselves, are joined by Stacy Abalogun and Kirubel Belay to help tell a tale which is fused with poetic alternatives to Dizzee's album tracks, and multirole in parts that include Mum and Tony. As a collective, as well as control the decks, as we move through Debris' life with a flow of beats and rap battles as a mystery is unravelled and told through the years of Debris learning how Grime refined who she could become.

It's slick transitioning and rapid energy between the four performers that make this seventy minute production fly by, and makes you want to rise from your seats and join them on stage; there was a genuine sense of power and support from the audience as we cheered and responded to the tracks being spat around on stage, as well as the often ad-libs regarding set pieces which had us in hysterics.

Though this wouldn't usually be a performance in which I would come to, having little knowledge in terms of the grime scene, I could fully appreciate the commitment and family vibe that was coming from the stage, as well as the storytelling that was being conveyed through the battles from Stevenson and Jammz, helped further by Anna Watson's lighting that added an extra sense of atmosphere that transported us away from the theatre and became a thought-out design that felt fresh.

Overall, Poet in Da Corner is a fast-paced, adrenaline-filled, atmospheric event like no other in London at the moment; though walking in with little knowledge or taste in the music genre, it will have you appreciate the text and the storyline interwoven into the piece!