Blaze FM
Jammz and James Meteyard
Big House
Lowry, Salford
September 17-19, 2026; 2hrs
Following a successful debut at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe, Blaze FM arrives at the Lowry as part of its first regional tour – and boy, does it hit the stage crackling!
Emerging from the Lowry's Aldridge Studio with Peter Tosh’s Oh Bumbo Klaat still ringing in my ears, I knew I had experienced something very special. This is high-octane, political gig theatre at its very best – one of the most powerful pieces of theatre I have seen in years, and I was incredibly moved by it. Go! Book a ticket!
Directed by Maggie Norris, Blaze FM celebrates Black British musical culture and its communities that refuse to be silenced. You will laugh, dance, sing and cry – and I defy anyone not to leave with a changed perspective.
On Tina Torbay’s brilliant, multi-level set, we travel back from 2001–2016 with the likeable family of the Shutdown Crew, broadcasting illegal pirate radio station Blaze FM from their council flat in Hackney. Constantly threatened by electric outages and police raids, they keep the flame of hope and resistance alive through pioneering music, a voice against the madness outside.
Created in direct response to issues faced by members of The Big House company, Jammz’s music and lyrics are not simply a soundtrack, but the very essence of the argument.
Reggae, drum and bass, grime, garage, drill and jungle become an uncensored political voice, confronting racial profiling, heavy-handed policing, misrepresentation by mainstream media, court orders and the Home Office.
Tony Gale’s excellent sound design and Alex Forey’s seamless lighting combine with Mic Pool’s evocative video projections to create ever-present images of council tower blocks, juxtaposed with significant moments in global and British history - the Broadwater Farm riots, the 7/7 London bombings and Brexit.
Outrageously talented Andrew Brown plays Hughbert, the defiant founder of the station, with a humour and wisdom that is mesmeric: his dancing David Cameron is a sight to behold.
Hughbert's passion for the music is matched only by his love for his children: tender Aisha (Anais Lone), whose interpretation of Angel is beautiful; and Alpha, superbly played by Aliaano El Ali, who reveals a moving vulnerability as he journeys through the years.
Marcus Omoro plays the restrained Jason with great sensitivity, before reinventing himself as Big J, while Leo Patrick as Pritstick completes a remarkable cast, positively exploding on to the stage with astonishing energy and impressive rapping, in stark contrast to his heart-breaking silence in Act Two.
Deftly written and beautifully directed, Blaze FM bears witness to resilience, community and the power of being outspoken. It is angry, funny, tender and utterly alive – theatre at its most necessary.
More info and tickets here
