Banging theatre show is beating a path to Tyneside
Can’t decide whether you fancy a gig or a trip to the theatre? Put those hands together and book your spot at what promises to be a thoroughly banging show.
“An adult woman starting a new life, a teenage boy becoming a man. Music has left its mark on them, now they must use it to confront their pasts. An immersive gig/play scored with UK garage and noughties classics.”
That’s Danusia Samal’s elevator pitch for Bangers, the show she created and shaped during lockdown, “when it felt like we’d never dance again”.
Following successful runs in the capital and at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2022 and 2023 respectively, a new production is in the midst of a debut national tour, which will arrive on Tyneside next week (March 11-13).
“I’m so excited that Bangers is continuing its journey with this tour,” says London-born Danusia, who could also accurately be described as an accomplished actor, musician and screenwriter.
“Garage music is as British as a Sunday roast and cities across the UK have their own distinct musical identities to be celebrated, so it feels vitally important for audiences around the country to connect with the sounds, the culture, and the themes that this show explores.”
The latest interpretation of the high-energy show, which has been ‘remixed’ by incoming director, Vicky Moran, welcomes new cast members Chaya Gupta as Aria and Kaine Lawrence as Clef alongside Duramaney Kamara who returns to the role of DJ (and also appears on the production’s credit list as composer and sound designer).
“Bangers has changed every time we’ve staged it,” says Danusia, who is enjoying seeing what Chaya is doing with the role she herself played during earlier versions of the production.
“I love the idea of getting to watch the play, and see the role brought to life by another performer!
“With this amazing new cast, it’s shifted again to become personal to the performers,” she continues. “I'm not a writer who tends to envision the show before it happens - I like to learn what it is in the room.”
Part gig, part play, Bangers introduces Aria, a woman in her 30s, and 17-year-old Clef - two apparent strangers each struggling with their respective pasts as they try to move their lives forward and reconnect with music after time away.
As their individual stories weave and collide, audiences will learn about the various ways their relationships with music have influenced how they feel about love and sex.
Speaking about the themes she wanted to explore in the piece, Danusia - who won the Theatre502 Playwriting Award in 2018 for complex family drama, Out of Sorts - says: “I’m interested in our relationship to music, how songs can shape our beliefs about music and sex.
“And also in how we move forward from our past mistakes.”
When it comes to the music, Bangers features a number of original tracks inspired by early noughties and present-day R&B and garage throughout as well as existing tunes from those genres.
It seems fair to assume the show’s title is pretty much on the nose.
As well as writing the script, Danusia - whose previous plays also include one inspired by a decade of experiences as a street busker (Busking It) - co-wrote the original music for the show along with Duramaney and Chris Sonnex, who directed the original production.
“It started with lyrics, and then we discussed the themes, style and where we wanted the story to go,” she says. “We then wrote the tunes together over one week!
“We also remix tracks to show how the characters evolve - for example there’s an upbeat garage number, which is later remixed into a grime beat - when the characters are having a harder time!”
While past productions of Bangers have demonstrated its wide appeal, Danusia - who has sampled Newcastle’s clubbing culture in the past but hasn’t been here in a professional capacity before - recognises it will hit particularly well for “anyone who grew up in the 90’s/00’s, listening to UK garage!
“It’s really lovely when audiences are up for the journey,” she continues. “From the quiet intimate bits to the big numbers. Dancing is very much encouraged!”
As well as being a bit sweaty when they leave, Danusia also hopes the Bangers experience will reverberate long after the last note plays.
“I want people to feel uplifted. I want discussions to happen around what music teaches us about sex and relationships, and I want them to be humming the songs to themselves for weeks to come!”
Bangers is at Live Theatre, Newcastle from March 11-13. For tickets, visit www.live.org or call the box office on 0191 232 1232.