Housemate Returns: Before I Go at Brixton House Theatre

Coming to Brixton House for only a short time, Before I Go is a one-man show that tells the story of young Black British man Ajani (Tobi King Bakare) and features Christopher Mbaki in the same role as he learns to communicate with his friends and family after almost dying and getting stuck in Limbo, a place between the afterlife and death. To return to his life, Ajani must learn to connect with his mind, body and soul, and face what he has been avoiding.

The production was written by Bakare and directed by Philip J Morris and focuses primarily on Ajani talking in verse and prose, adding a poetic element to a character who starts afraid to speak his mind but gradually learns to express himself with words and art.

Everything about Before I Go comes together to send a powerful message about the oppression of young Black and working-class men and learning self-expression: the musical stylings of Nathan Griffith acting as Ajani’s heart on the drums, beating whenever he gets passionate about his words or breaks into a dance, and Taurean Antoine-Chagar, who produces soulful, sweet sounds on the saxophone when Ajani pours his heart out to the Messenger and his loved ones.

Morris’s directional style combines music, dance and spoken word poetry to delve into a dialogue about the fragility of masculinity. The two-pit stage allows Ajani to move freely, and the dreamy lighting and smoke used when he is in Limbo perfectly represent the feeling of being stuck in an unfamiliar place and feeling as if you can’t get out.

The intensity of the smoke and the blackout of the stage when Ajani passes provide the audience with not only a shock but also a realisation of what has happened. Morris’s direction enables the audience to recognise Ajani’s inciting incident, and that it took death to get him to realise that he needs to change to live a more authentic life.

Bakare has created an unapologetic, heart-wrenching and expressive art piece that incorporates the experiences of young Black men, the London community and cultural influences to tell the story of a man learning to be himself. Ajani is a character full of wit, and Bakare provides him with great comedic timing, particularly when he is bantering with the Messenger and talking to the audience in the beginning at the barbeque. The only thing that could have made Ajani’s journey feel more impactful would be if he were speaking to other physical characters, and not just playback audio.

As the tagline says, Before I Go is “for the mandem”, and Bakare’s beautiful one-hour production opens up a dialogue for young men about their emotions, how they express themselves, and how, when you learn to be yourself, you will find your true masculine identity. If you want to see a multi-dimensional production written from a place of experience and the heart, go and see Before I Go.

Sophie Humphrey
Photos: Xanthus – KJCaptures

Housemate Returns: Before I Go is at Brixton House Theatre from 15^th until 27^th July 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Watch the trailer for Housemate Returns: Before I Go at Brixton House Theatre here: