An immersive exploration of the history of grime, Lil.Miss.Lady, heads to the Lowry this June as part of a UK tour and the company’s 10th anniversary celebrations.
The announcement comes fresh off the back of a sold-out World Premiere run at The Pit, Barbican, with a stop at Gloucester Guildhall in between, as the immersive exploration of the history of Grime, starring MC Lady Lykez.
The show will take place at the Lowry and will run from Friday 13 and Saturday 14 June – the story will lift the lid on what it takes for a female MC to navigate her way through a heavily male-dominated industry in the early 2000s.
The production by HighRise Entertainment, who will be celebrating their 10th anniversary, will wholeheartedly celebrate Grime and its women while shining a big, bold, bass-fuelled light on the problems and inequalities of the music industry.
Part-y rave, part-y drama, this multi-layered show is a proper gig with a hard-hitting, no holds barred narrative. Telling the story of a Grime crew hellbent on becoming superstars.
Lil.Miss.Lady follows their journey through the sounds and visuals of Black-British bass music culture, as they climb from Channel U to number 1 in the charts, and Lil.Miss.Lady hits number 32 in the NME’s coolest acts of 2004.
As Lil.Miss.Lady bursts onto the scene, she’s faced with different expectations to the boys, and it becomes pretty obvious, pretty fast, that she’s being exploited.
The show is inspired by a series of interviews with key female figures from one of Britain’s biggest and most influential sub-cultures (Lady Stush, Lioness, Queenie, Baby Blue), to ensure that the stories are authentic.
The show also gives audiences a unique experience, as they are part of the script – instead of seats there’s a full-blown dancefloor with a bar allowing everyone to get stuck right in, dance, celebrate, and film the show to share with their friends on socials.
A series of mini mixes break up the story, blurring the lines between theatre and gig, as the storyline blasts through the years, from the early stages of Jungle, through UK Garage, Sub-Low, Funky House, Dubstep and Grime.
Throughout the past ten years, HighRise Entertainment have been pioneers of creating cross-genre live events that blend theatre and rap music.
Pre-drama school, the HighRise creative team were Grime, Hip Hop and Rave artists and promoters, and have combined their experience and expertise to develop a truly honest and authentic concept that sets the pace on the level of innovation that is possible on-stage.
Written and directed by HighRise Entertainment’s Artistic Director Dominic Garfield, this genre-defying production blends playful, immersive, and thought-provoking theatre.
Over the last decade, HighRise have worked with over 2000 young people to create thematically and stylistically relevant work for audiences that look just like them, getting introduced into the Arts Council’s list of NPOs in 2023, as the only Black and Brown led theatre company newly added to the portfolio in London, in the process.
And the show will use Rap and Grime to inspire young audiences and connect with their souls by holding up stories that reflect their lives.
The immersive exploration of the history of grime will also serve the older generations who were around at the time of the development of the scene.
Writer and director of Lil.Miss. Lady, Dominic Garfield said: “As cuts in funding for the arts limit creative potential, HighRise’s ambition continues to disrupt, drive and grow. The UK nightlife scene is shrinking due to forced closures of clubs and venues, and the need for HighRise’s work is becoming more and more essential.
“To merge theatre and a Grime rave, at this moment, is a big middle finger from all of us who are told we can’t. To centre the voices of women in the scene helps us celebrate whilst forensically examining what it means to fight for the art and culture, we all deserve.”
Dominic continued: “This show is nostalgic, authentic and a tingle of the senses; with the hottest soundtrack, elite performances and a shared mission of joy. I can’t wait to share it with the world!”
Grime artist Lioness, who took part in HighRise’s R&D, said: “I love the idea of a theatre production centered around Grime music but from the perspective of a female MC. I appreciate the writers for taking the time out to approach us women of Grime to get a well-rounded view. It’s going to be amazing.”
The show will also be supported by SICK! Festival and as part of the opening night on Friday 13 June, where there will be a massive afterparty for audience members with a line-up featuring some of Manchester’s finest female MCs.
The show will start at 7:30pm on both evenings (Friday 13 and Saturday 14 June), tickets cost £18.50 – which can be found here.
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