Coming to the Patrick Studio this week, Tones combines the gritty underground sounds of hip-hop, grime and drill with the melodrama of opera, telling 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 an exploration of the black experience and the mixed experience.

The show follows the pivotal moments of lead character Jerome, AKA The Professor, 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, this story offers a reflection on modern Britain and delves into the societal pressures concerning race, class, and identity that shape Jerome’s experiences. With an original soundtrack from producer 3D Williams, Tones is a truly unique piece of gig-theatre.

Writer and performer Gerel Falconer comments: “Tones is a show that’s instinctively rhythmic and full of lyrical style. The story of Jerome will make you both grimace and smile.”

“Rapping for almost an entire hour straight, Gerel Falconer quite literally uses all of his own breath to breathe new life into the hip-hop genre, proving that even when the music is thriving and perhaps at its most popular there are still new ways in which the music can be told and in the case of Tones, told beautifully.”

Broadway World

This mesmerising performance will kick start the B-SIDE Hip-Hop Festival weekend in our Patrick Studio on Thursday 6 June.

Tickets can be booked here or by calling 0844 338 5000*

*0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.