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As the latest shows in their free outdoor arts programme, on Saturday and Sunday the Corn Exchange and 101 Outdoor Arts presented the premiere of Justice in Motion’s latest production CODE outside the Riverside Community Centre and Greenham Community Centre.
The show was exploring the issue of County Lines drugs gangs. Set against an overcast sky, the specially-designed urban playground was the stage for the show.
The performance opened with rap artist and actor Marcus Smith ‘Matic Mouth’, who wrote the show, inspired by true case studies. Telling the story through his powerful lyrics, he shared how easy it is for young people to be coerced and exploited into criminal gangs known as County Lines, and how they can then be forced into subsequent drug and knife related crime through this.
Leading the show was talented performer Esra Marmet who played a young boy being manipulated into County Lines. His performance was captivating, displaying some awe-inspiring parkour and skateboard tricks in his debut performance.
The set fully immersed you in the story, designed in a way where the performers effortlessly moved whole set pieces to change the scene you were looking at – transforming it from a family home, to a skatepark, a school or even a crime scene.
Backed by atmospheric sound and bass-heavy music, parkour performers jumped, swung and flipped across the set while trials bikes leapt from platform to platform. At one time audience members held their breath as a skilled trials bike rider sliced through the air between a performer’s limbs, pinning them to the ground in a high-risk stunt.
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Alongside the professional performers were three young people who received the opportunity to work with the company thanks to funding Corn Exchange received from Get Berkshire Active and Sport England. During a four-day residency, the young people aged 13-17 learnt about County Lines as well as parkour movement skills and chorography to create part of the show and perform alongside the professional athletes and performers in the public performances.
To close, the artistic director of the show Anja Meinhardt shared some words about the company’s reasons for developing the production and about the support available for anyone effected by the themes.
CODE will be going on tour to Broad Street and Barton Neighbourhood Centre in Oxford next and then to Kensington and Chelsea Festival in London to spread its message further and shed a light on the exploitation of vulnerable young people and how they are particularly at risk of exploitation by County Lines.
For more information about future Corn Exchange and 101 Outdoor Arts free outdoor events programme visit www.cornexchangenew.com
CODE, produced by Justice in Motion, is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, 101 Outdoor Arts, Corn Exchange Newbury, Greenham Trust, Get Berkshire Active, Sport England, Oxford City Council, Transend Skatepark, Dancin’ Oxford and Kensington and Chelsea Festival. Also supported by The Rock, Children Heard + Seen, Anti Slavery Initiative Oxford, Outdoor Arts UK, Inspire sounds, Youth Ambition, You Move and The Royal Boroughof Kensington and Chelsea.
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