Level Up @ Bush Theatre (1 May – 6 June)

If you had the chance to re-play your life, what would you do differently?

When Ezra was at school, teachers would always talk about the future. What future? All he could see was the choice right in front of him. Play by the rules or pay the bills? Get moved to or make the first move? In Ezra’s world, life was a game and he was playing for survival.

But now Ezra’s got the chance to re-play the game of his life, and this time, he’s going to win.

Having won plaudits for his leading roles in Roots and Black Mirror, Malachi Kirby stars alongside an ensemble of new young actors in his exhilarating and visually stunning debut play that explores growing up in London.

In a past interview Malachi claimed he wasn’t a great actor. He said: ““My approach to doing this job is to get as close to the truth as possible, even if it’s painful. “I just don’t know how to pretend.”

He brings this real and raw approach to Level Up, which sees him as a boy fighting to make the right choice despite not being in full control of the circumstances coupled with the odds being stacked against him.

Level is the first of a three part plan by Bush Theatre, where they are fully committed to bring young people and community theatre to the fore.

Lynette Linton, artistic director of Bush Theatre says: Level Up is a trial because we’re working in a way we haven’t worked before. Actor Malachi Kirby came to me to talk about writing and working with young people, and we sat down with our associate Daniel Bailey and our community team and spoke about how we could make this together.”

She continues: “Level Up, a show that braids professional and community work together. There is no theatre without community work.”

Level Up, 1 May-6 June, Bush Theatre, https:/event/level-up/

Photo credit: Bronwen Sharp