The Purists at the Kiln Theatre
My Theatre Confidences 🤫
THE PURISTS
Kiln Theatre till 21 December
at a glance…
The Purists dives boldly into the complexities of race, sexuality, and identity, particularly within hip-hop culture. It challenges toxic masculinity and explores underrepresented topics like age and intimacy in queer lives, while also addressing the nuanced intersections of masculinity and suppressed sexual identity.
With its sharp, unflinching writing and moments of joy through hip-hop battles, the play refuses easy answers, instead encouraging reflection and deeper conversations.
Set on a stoop in Queens, New York, the play revolves around Lamont, a former emcee; Mr. Bugz, a macho, old-school DJ; and Gerry, a passionate musical theatre fan. Their conversations—equal parts banter and tension—take a sharp turn when Nancy and Val, two younger women, disrupt their routine. What follows is a bold exploration of race, sexuality, and identity, all contextualized within hip-hop culture.
What really struck me was how the play tackles homophobia within hip-hop, layered with the realities of racism. These aren’t topics we often see explored together on UK stages, and definitely not with this level of honesty. Lamont’s outright hostility toward queerness, for example, isn’t softened or excused, but it’s also tied to his lived experience as a Black man in a hyper-masculine space. It challenges us to grapple with the contradictions and complexities of these intersections without offering any easy answers. That discomfort feels necessary—it pushes the conversation forward.
One of the most striking moments is an intimate scene between Gerry and Mr. Bugz. In that single interaction, the play boldly confronts two often-ignored aspects of sexual identity: age and queer sex, and the nuances of masculinity and suppressed sexuality. Toxic masculinity traps men like Mr. Bugz in rigid definitions of heterosexuality, forcing them to suppress desires out of fear of being labeled gay. But what if these moments of intimacy don’t threaten their masculinity but expand it? This scene doesn’t tie things up neatly; instead, it invites us to rethink what we assume about identity and desire. It’s raw, unexpected, and deeply layered.
The hip-hop battles scattered throughout the play are another highlight. Not only do they add energy and flair, but they also provide a reflective pause, reminding us of the art form’s storytelling roots. These moments are where the love for hip-hop shines through, and they balance the heavier themes with bursts of joy and rhythm. It’s in these battles that the writing allows us to see the characters in a different light—not just as people caught in conflict but as artists deeply connected to their culture.
What I appreciated most about The Purists is its refusal to simplify. It’s not here to make you comfortable or to package these complex issues into neat resolutions. Instead, it challenges us to face the messiness of identity, culture, and the ways we define ourselves and others. It holds up a mirror to conversations we’re having—or avoiding—and asks us to confront the biases we bring into the room.
This is theatre at its most compelling—unapologetic, thought-provoking, and alive with nuance. It doesn’t just ask questions; it pushes you to engage with them on a personal level.
My Way of Looking at Theatre
You know, the more I think about it, the clearer it becomes that traditional theatre criticism has often been a tool for maintaining existing power structures.
It’s time to drop the privileged fancy talk around theatre and break free from star ratings.
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Alice in Wonderland
Brixton House
21 November - 4 January
After an explosive argument with Mum at Brixton Underground Station, eleven-year-old Alice leaps onto the tube seconds before the doors hiss shut.
Trapped on a train speeding into Nonsense, surrounded by weird and wonderful passengers, and at the mercy of a Queen who won’t relinquish the controls, can Alice turn this train around?
Multi-award-winning company Poltergeist weave rap music together with the sights and sounds of Brixton into a hundred-mile-an-hour Christmas adventure. #AliceinBrixton
