The Legends of Them

18 – 19 Nov 2025

Play Trailer

Venue
Courtyard
Running time
70 minutes no interval
Age guidance
14+

“For the first time in my life, everything was silent”

A Hackney Showroom production in association with Royal Court Theatre & Brixton House.

A memory: reggae pioneer Sutara Gayle AKA Lorna Gee hears her radio debut from Holloway Prison. Another: she’s engulfed in the Brixton uprising sparked by the police shooting of her sister. And now she is here, at a silent retreat, seeking spiritual guidance from her brother Mooji and ancestor Nanny of the Maroons, and a moment of transcendence.

Powered by high-octane musical numbers and a virtuoso performance, The Legends of Them is a breath-taking, roof-raising chronicle of Sutara’s singular, extraordinary life – and of the legends that have guided her.

Artwork photography by Jyoti Graziano. With thanks to Stuart Heyes, Gino Ricardo Green, Tony Gayle & Tyler Forward.

Supported by Arts Council England. Developed with support from the National Theatre Generate Programme.

Pre & Post Show Events

A rollcall of female reggae artists perform live with Lorna Gee plus DJ. Free with a ticket to the 18 Nov performance. For more information click here.

Inspired by Sutara Gayle AKA Lorna Gee’s extraordinary treasure trove of photos, Female Pioneers of Reggae shines a light on the women in the scene: from dancehall to lovers rock, this collection celebrates the selectors, the deejays and singers, and the women who went to the dances.

Curated by the Museum of Youth Culture & Sutara Gayle, the exhibition features rarely displayed photography alongside personal photos from local communities across the UK and is supported by the Heritage Fund.