If early 2000s UK grime is in your bloodstream, if you grew up on pirate radio, Nokia polyphonic ringtones, and Channel U, then Lil.Miss.Lady at Brixton House should be on your watchlist. This production isn’t theatre in the conventional sense, it’s part rave, part memory lane, part cultural reckoning. Like a reload-worthy set in the middle of a sweaty basement rave, it demands your full attention.
The cast aren’t just actors, they’re MCs, lyricists, hosts, ravers. Hypez (Alexander Lobo Moreno) spun with serious dexterity, blending narrative with nostalgia, and Lil.Miss.Lady (Lady Lykez) herself was magnetic: part MC, part griot, part survivor. The bars were sharp, the energy relentless. And DJ Rat (Aliaano Elali)? Deserves his flowers, no question. His ability to hype the crowd while seamlessly stepping into character was something special.
The use of live camera feeds and early-2000s memorabilia gave the show that authentic pirate-radio-grime-night energy. Technically, it’s tight, especially DJ Harmony, who was clearly pulling off miracles behind the decks to keep everything in sync.
That said, while the first half crackles with originality and purpose, the story’s arc starts to flatten in the second. Familiar tropes about women vs men in the music industry take centre stage. Important? Yes. But they’re presented in a way that feels a bit too predictable. You can’t help but wish the story had taken a bolder turn, especially for the title character.
There’s also some tension between realism and repetition, the language, while era-accurate, sometimes crosses into cliché or offence without adding much new. But maybe that’s the point: grime, like history, doesn’t always rhyme, it repeats.
Still, this is an electric, ambitious production that throws grime into the spotlight not as nostalgia, but as legacy. It’s theatre with basslines. Go while you can, Lil.Miss.Lady isn’t just a show. It’s a set.
Now showing at Brixton House, London until the 19th of July. Tickets available at: https://brixtonhouse.co.uk/shows/one-way-out/
Reviewer: Zandra Odetunde
Reviewed: 12th July 2025
North West End UK Rating: