The Barbershop Chronicles (The Roundhouse, 25/7/2019)

The Barbershop Chronicles is a play by Nigerian poet and playwright Inua Ellams, set in six barber shops in six cities, offering a glimpse into the lives of the people who work in and frequent them - and, in the process, giving us a unique study of masculinity.

The Roundhouse is set out, appropriately, theatre-in-the-round style with the audience surrounding the stage, making us feel like we are in the barbershop too, perhaps waiting for a haircut or just stopping by to listen in on the conversation. Everything is discussed, from football to women to fatherhood to the history of n-word, all delivered so naturally that the audience becomes part of the dialogue too - it's not uncommon to see people in the crowd nodding or saying "that's right" after hearing an opinion that resonates with them. Perhaps most importantly, the play refreshingly depicts its all-black, all-male cast as just a group of regular men with regular problems and worries.

The dramatic core of the show is provided by the story of Samuel, a young barber who works in a shop formerly owned by his father,  but now run by his father's best friend Emmanuel. Samuel resents Emmanuel for the circumstances leading to his father's incarceration, and the play navigates how their relationship is affected when the tension finally reaches boiling point. The performances by Mohammed Mansaray (as Samuel) and Anthony Ofuegbu (as Emmanuel) are exceptional, and their final scene together is sure to have even the most cynical viewer in tears.

This isn't to sell short the efforts of the rest of the excellent cast, who perfectly navigate the frequent shifts between hilarity and tragedy; special mention must go to the hilarious Demmy Lapido, who has a true gift for comedy.

The Barbershop Chronicles is a warm, skillfully directed play that raises many issues related to masculinity that simply are not discussed enough. Hopefully, this play will serve as a conversation starter for everyone who sees it.

Gary Clark Jr at the Roundhouse, London (17/06/2019)

Beginning with his major label debut Blak and Blue in 2013, Gary Clark Jr has been practically at pains to demonstrate that there is more to him than the blues that he has been playing since he was a teenager in Austin, Texas; all three of his studio albums boast an impressive – sometimes dizzying – array of styles, ranging from soul to hip-hop to contemporary R&B. His latest album, This Land, continues his mission to free himself from cloying ‘blues saviour’ expectations, and provided him with a good reason to stop by London’s Roundhouse on 17th June.

Striking an effortlessly cool figure as he strode onto the stage just after 8:30pm, Clark was joined by his four-man band, which has been expanded for this tour with the addition of keyboardist Jon Deas and his huge bank of keys and synthesisers. Clark’s ventures into different genres had rewarded him with a lively young audience, sprinkled with the older blues aficionados who, one imagines, might have been hoping for a less adventurous set list. New material was blended seamlessly with older cuts like “Bright Lights” and "Ain’t Messin’ ‘Round", which were rapturously received, but the highlight came when bassist Johnny Bradley and second guitarist King Napata left Clark and Deas to perform a mini acoustic set, for which they turned the audience into a congregation for a soulful performance of “Church” with Deas on gospel-style piano.

Friendly without being overly chatty, Clark’s strong rapport with the audience was rewarded with shouts of “Go on, Gary!” when he really got his teeth into a guitar solo. Possibly the most interesting moment occurred when, in the space between “You Saved Me” and “Low Down Rolling Stone”, Clark began noodling seemingly absent-mindedly, playing the blues. Before long the crowd was whooping and hollering, and the solo built up steam before Clark eventually segued into the next song. It was an all too brief reminder that, for everything Gary Clark Jr has done to distance himself from the blues, he remains a true master of the craft.