Casting announced for world premiere of BLACK POWER DESK at Brixton House
Brixton House and PlayWell Productions, in association with Birmingham Hippodrome and Salford’s Lowry, have announced the nine-strong cast for the world premiere of Urielle Klein-Mekongo’s Black Power Desk, which plays at Brixton House from 1-28 September.
The production, Brixton House’s largest to date, features an original score played by a live band blending RnB, Reggae, Soul and Ska. Set in 1970s London, at a time of political unrest and cultural transformation, Black Power Desk, inspired by the real-life events of the Mangrove Nine and the British Black Power movement, shines a lyrical light on a rarely explored part of British history, providing audiences with a stirring portrait of the times alongside an epic and rich soundtrack of resistance.
The cast includes Rochelle Rose (Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon, Young Vic) as Celia, Veronica Carabai as Dina, Alexander Bellinfantie (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, RSC) as Jarvis, Tomos Eames (Trwy'r Ddinas Hon, Sherman Theatre) as Jack, rapperturg and lyricist Gerel Falconer as Carlton, Fahad Shaft (Silo, Apple TV) as Colin, Chanté Faucher (A Tale of Us, Brixton House/UK Tour) as Maya, Alan Drake (To Kill a Mockingbird, West End) as Officer Pullen, and Casey Bird (A Funny Thing Happened on The Way to The Forum, Bridewell Theatre) as Officer Marks.
The cast are supported by an incredible creative team which includes director Gbolahan Obisesan, Ivor Novello Prize winner and Platinum-selling songwriter Renell Shaw who collaborated on the music and composition, and award-winning dramaturg Gail Babb and Alfred Fagon Awards 2025 Black Champion of Theatre. The production features set design by Natalie Pryce, costumes by Jessica Cabassa, lighting by Prema Mehta, sound by Olivier-award winner Tony Gayle, and movement direction by Jade Hackett.
Black Power Desk sits within Brixton House's Uprising Festival, a season of work commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Brixton Uprising, sparked by the police shooting of Cherry Groce in 1985.
Playwright Urielle Klein-Mekongo said: "This musical was borne from a desire to delve deeper and discover the stories from Black British history that have been left untold. My inquisitiveness led me to create a story in the context of the Black British civil rights movement and how the establishment tried to extinguish it. At its heart are two sisters, one who is an activist fighting for humanity and the other who wants to hold on to family and live their humanity without the struggle. Told through the lens of two women with a rich 70s musical soundscape, I hope it will touch many hearts and stirs the soul.“
Following its run at Brixton House, the production will tour to major regional theatres including Warwick Arts Centre, Lowry and Birmingham Hippodrome.