The Legends of Them

My Theatre Confidences 🤫

THE LEGENDS OF THEM

Royal Court Theatre till 21 December

at a glance…

The play transforms Sutara Gayle's personal journey into a riveting meditation on identity and resistance. Through three powerful moments—a prison radio debut, the Brixton uprising, and a spiritual awakening—Gayle (reggae pioneer Lorna Gee) crafts more than autobiography. Her integration of reggae music and bold projections creates an unforgettable theatrical experience that speaks to both personal truth and collective memory. It's a fearless exploration of Black identity and systemic oppression that manages to be both deeply intimate and universally resonant.

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In a moment of profound transformation, Sutara Gayle stands atop a sacred mountain in India, burning her dreadlocks in an act of spiritual metamorphosis. This scene, projected onto the stage of the Royal Court Theatre, encapsulates the essence of "The Legends of Them"—a piece of theatre that transcends traditional theatrical boundaries to explore the delicate interplay between personal liberation and collective memory.

Gayle, better known to many as reggae pioneer Lorna Gee, presents what initially appears to be an autobiographical narrative but reveals itself to be something far more ambitious: a spiritual cartography of resistance, renewal, and redemption.

The production anchors itself around three pivotal moments in Gayle's life: her unexpected radio debut while incarcerated, the Brixton uprising following her sister's shooting by police, and a transformative silent retreat guided by her brother Mooji and the spiritual presence of Nanny of the Maroons. Yet what elevates this piece beyond mere biography is its sophisticated exploration of how personal trauma intersects with collective healing, and how individual acts of resistance ripple through generations.

Photo Credit Harry Elletson

The non-linear structure of the piece mirrors the way memory actually works—not as a straightforward chronological progression, but as a complex web of associations, echoes, and revelations. I found myself particularly moved by how this fragmented approach serves not merely as an artistic choice but as a necessary framework for understanding the complexity of diaspora identity and intergenerational trauma.

The production's aesthetic elements work in profound harmony to create a charming blend of sight and sound. The reggae-infused soundtrack doesn't simply accompany the narrative; it serves as a spiritual anchor, grounding each scene with emotional resonance while offering its own powerful commentary on the unfolding events. The projection design transforms the stage into a living archive, where personal photographs and historical footage blend to create a visual vocabulary that speaks to both individual and collective memory.

What struck me most profoundly was how the production manages to be both deeply rooted in specific experience and universally resonant. Gayle's journey through systemic racism, spiritual awakening, and personal transformation speaks to fundamental human experiences of loss, resilience, and renewal.

Photo Credit Harry Elletson

The political dimensions of the piece are impossible to ignore, yet they never feel didactic. Instead, they emerge organically from the fabric of Gayle's lived experience. Her story serves as a lens through which we can examine larger systemic issues, from the criminalization of Black bodies to the erasure of marginalized histories. Yet what makes this examination so powerful is its grounding in personal truth rather than abstract theory.

In an era where discussions of representation often focus on visibility alone, "The Legends of Them" reminds us that true representation is about the freedom to tell one's story on one's own terms. Gayle's performance isn't just a recounting of events; it's an act of reclamation, a demonstration of how personal narrative can serve as a form of resistance against historical erasure.

"The Legends of Them" stands as a testament to the power of storytelling that refuses to choose between artistic innovation and emotional authenticity, between personal truth and political resonance. It reminds us that the most profound theatrical experiences are those that challenge us to expand our understanding of both art and humanity.

Giuliano xx

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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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Plexus Polaire:

Moby Dick

MimeLondon 2025

22 - 25 January - Barbican Theatre

A spectacular stage adaptation of Herman Melville's great novel about ambition, obsession and the power of nature, featuring large-scale puppetry, live action, video projection and music.

Featuring seven actors, fifty puppets and a whale-sized whale, Plexus Polaire's award-winning show is a expedition into the inner storms of the human heart and the unexplained mysteries of life. 

Plexus Polaire is a French-Norwegian theatre company who, through the use of life-sized puppets, acting, music, light and video, develop visual worlds that bring our most buried feelings to life. 

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