Three versions of Gerel Falconer, in the style of De La Soul's 3 Feet High and Rising album cover. Image © Aimee Morley

Tones – A Hip-Hop Opera

4 February-15 February

A man in a battle with his identity, and on a journey through the depths of Black-British culture, class, and belonging. What happens if you're not Black enough for the ends, but too Black for the rest of the world?

Brixton House and Wound Up Theatre present

Description

★★★★
‘Uplifting and bold, Tones is one-man’s lyrical life story growing up in the ends, exploring black identity in a UK culture obsessed with class and race.’
Broadway Baby

★★★★
‘This is a masterclass in the art of telling a story through rap’
Ed Fringe Guide

★★★★★
‘An engaging and beautiful story’
Ed Fringe Review

★★★★★
‘This show will blow you away from the very first second’
Seven Star Life

What happens if you’re not Black enough for the ends, but too Black for the rest of the world? Tones – A Hip-Hop Opera follows the pivotal moments of lead character Jerome, AKA The Professor, and his upbringing from childhood to his departure from university. As he battles with his identity we go on a journey through the depths of Black-British culture, class, and belonging.  

Presented by award-winning Wound Up Theatre, Tones – A Hip-Hop Opera combines the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera to tell the story of a treacherous path to self-discovery.

From writer and performer Gerel Falconer, winner of Best Book and Lyrics at the Black British Theatre Awards 2024 and nominee for The Stage Debut Awards, Tones is a riveting exploration of the Black experience and the Mixed experience.  

Trailer by DMLK Video

Creative team

Writer & Performer Gerel Falconer

Developed and Directed by Jonny Kelly

Composer 3D Williams

Cast

Gerel Falconer as Jerome

Gerel is an award-winning actor, writer, rapper, rapperturg and lyricist. As a writer, he specialises in fusing theatre with UK Hip-Hop, Grime and UK Drill music. This unique style of writing has earned him the title of Rapperturg. He is the winner of the Black British Theatre Awards 2023 Book And Lyrics Award presented at The National Theatre and in 2023 was nominated as Best Composer, Lyricist or Book writer for the Stage Debut Awards. 

He trained as an actor at East 15 Acting School, where he received a BA (Hons) Degree in Acting, winning the 2012 Lilian Bayliss Award. 

Woundup Theatre Logo
Wound Up Theatre

Performances

Tickets: £22, £18 concessions
Recommended age: 15+, explicit language and triggering themes such as self-harm, racism and violence
Duration: 1 hours
Tue 04 Feb 7:45pm
Wed 05 Feb 7:45pm
Thu 06 Feb 7:45pm
Fri 07 Feb 7:45pm
Sat 08 Feb 2:45pm
Sat 08 Feb 7:45pm
Tue 11 Feb 7:45pm
Wed 12 Feb 2:45pm
Wed 12 Feb 7:45pm
Thu 13 Feb 7:45pm
Fri 14 Feb 7:45pm
Sat 15 Feb 2:45pm
Sat 15 Feb 7:45pm