RAZAK OSMAN, A TUBE STATION WORKER FROM EAST LONDON, BEAUTIFULLY PORTRAYS HIS LIVED EXPERIENCES OF THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE TUBE NIGHT SHIFT AT BRIXTON HOUSE THEATRE

By Georgia Chapman | @georgia_chapman99 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From your busy morning commute to your drunken journey home. From your natter with your friends to your heads down, AirPods in. From your quick trip out for dinner to hauling your Facebook Marketplace find across London. The Tube is a constant network that allows you to go from A-B. But truly, it’s the Tube station workers and drivers that keep your journeys moving.

“You can afford a North Face but you can’t afford £1.80. Dickhead.”
“Can I have a back massage please?”
“God will bless you.”
The female vomits, “I’m not usually like this.”

We all know the horrors as we pass the various bodily fluids and rodents that reside in the Underground – but have you thought of what you would be exposed to every time you clock in?

THE PLAY

Tube Chronicles displayed an important theme that all creatives battle with. Living in London and pursuing your dream – but also living in London, paying London rent, dealing with external prejudice and feeling like you’re getting nowhere.

The chronicles begin at 11pm and end at 7am; the audience follows the characters he has actually met on the night shift and how he balances ‘being the most visible on stage, to the most invisible person.’ By using rap, poetry, and interpretive dance, Razak was able to board the audience on the Victoria line.

During the play, Razak was visited by an old friend Billy while working on the gates. Billy and Razak hadn’t seen each other since they were 13/14 years old, and a lot had changed since then. Razak had taken to the stage whereas Billy had fallen in with a darker crowd. Although Billy’s story is brighter now, Razak was reminded of what could have been and how easily it would’ve been for him to subside to that pressure.

THE CAST

Razak Osman commanded the stage. He had the audience entirely engrossed for the full 70 minutes. You could feel the buzz of electricity when we stood for his standing ovation.

Every character Razak represented was incredibly well thought out and totally different from the rest. He was expressive and used his body language to alter age, personality and even status.

During the Q&A at the end, I was able to ask Razak who his inspiration was for how he depicted his characters; he explained he would get his inspiration from Chris Tucker, Jackie Chan and Eddie Murphy. I would agree that Razak’s high energy and outlandish characters would be very welcome in their films.

The crowd also asked how Razak felt about having his own stories told and him playing himself. Ashley Joseph, Co-director, responded that they “made sure it was set in 2024. It was a version of [Razak], not [Razak] now. Looking back on yourself with hindsight.” Having this time difference and separation was critical for Razak to understand the weight of the situation, and to look back and reflect was crucial for story building.

Razak explained it “made sense to be his story. It would be a lot harder to build a character”.

Razak, as a writer, actor, dancer and artist, is absolutely going somewhere (via the Tube) but somewhere indeed.

THE PRODUCTION

Brixton House, Studio 5 was a small theatre with rows of seating, one designed like the tube carriage – minus the stains. With an open space and a small screen hanging from the ceiling which displayed the time and the upcoming tubes. To captivate the audience, Razak needed no more. The team used time as an act changer, and the screen did a brilliant job at helping to move the story along by signifying the hours going passed during a night shift.

The team used sound fantastically during the play. You could tell meticulous work had been done to ensure the timing was top notch. From taking out an airpod and hearing the tinny sound as it’s away from your ear to the arrogant and awful managers over the walkie talkie. You never once felt like you were in Studio 5 but stood behind the yellow line.

There’s times when you leave a theatre, take a moment and reflect, and know a play will stay with you. Tube Chronicles will live with every member of the audience – and not just because it’s their ride home – but for Razak’s captivating performance and Ashley’s co-direction.

Tube Chronicles by Razak Osman is part of Brixton House’s Housemates Festival. The festival is running until Saturday 19 September.

WEBSITE

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Photo Credit: Courtney Nathan Phillip