Meeting Joe Strummer (2009)
by Paul Hodson
Directed by Mark Ireson
Performances: Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 January 2009, Prompt Corner
Contents
Introduction
Joe Strummer was lead singer with The Clash, famously described as “the only band that matter” in the late 1970s. In 2002 he died unexpectedly at the age of 50 of a heart defect.
Paul Hodson's play was an Edinburgh Festival First winner in 2006 and toured the UK in 2007. SLT's production will be the amateur premiere of this passionate comedy about attitude, friendship and celebrity - and a celebration of the man who, for many, set the agenda for a generation
Middle class Nick and working class Steve first meet at the Rock Against Racism rally at Victoria Park in 1978 where The Clash played, an experience that changes the course of both of their lives. Their story is told in a series of flashback and forward scenes with the actors playing their characters at all ages from 17 to fortysomethings along the way.
Estranged for twenty years, they are reunited at one of Strummer’s last gigs with his later band The Mescaleros at Acton Town Hall. This was the same gig where Strummer played onstage for the first time in 20 years with Mick Jones, his songwriting partner from The Clash. In between Nick and Steve have been through a lot – divorce, acid house, the bleak Thatcher years and even soap stardom, but the flame of punk idealism – what they describe as the “inner Strummer” – has never quite gone out.
The action takes place on a “black box” set with no props, at many different locations and times, including their various homes, bars, a comedy club, an audition for drama school and, of course, several gigs. The Clash and The Mescaleros provide the majority of the soundtrack.
As a Clash fan I was initially attracted by the idea of a play featuring their music, but this is much more than the slight sort of piece that could suggest. Instead it’s a thoughtful, funny and perceptive work about male friendship, integrity and the struggle to retain youthful idealism in the face of life’s bitter blows.
And it has a great soundtrack.
Cast
- Nick - Philip Gill
- Steve - Dave Chaisty
Crew
- Stage Manager - Sue Jacobsen
- Lighting Design - Induja Bandara
- Sound - Neil Carmichael
Reviews
Some review quotes go here
Gallery
Reminiscences and Anecdotes
Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.
See Also
Have there been other SLT productions of this play? Link to them here.
Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.
What are the red arrows on the poster all about?
<references/> The poster is based on a stencil painting (or pochoir as they are called in France) by spraycan artist Jef Aérosol, who very kindly allowed us to use it without payment. Jef's pochoirs (which are easily recognised by his signature red arrows) can be seen on walls, doors and other spaces in cities around the world, on his Flickr site or in his book.
