An electrifying immersive experience with heart – part rave, part drama, all energy.
HighRise Entertainment’s latest production is an electrifying journey into London’s ’90s Black-British bass music culture, blending immersive storytelling with the raw, live energy of a rave. The show follows Lil.Miss.Lady, a talented MC who, at the young age of just 15, is recruited by fictional group Dangerous Minds into the heart of the Grime Scene. She rises to the top despite often being thwarted by an unwillingness to share the mic; by jealousy and a pervasive, frustrating misogyny – but her voice cuts through.
The heart of the show lies in the enthralling performance and charismatic presence of MC Lady Lykez, who not only stars in the show but also co-wrote the lyrics alongside writer-director Dominic Garfield and the company. I found myself wanting even more of her story told in her own words, especially toward the end after Dangerous Minds unceremoniously drops her, empowered beyond that relationship. An early highlight of the piece being her love of playing football despite petty boys trying to exclude her, as well as sitting outside for hours writing lyrics while her grandma cooks inside. Her passion for the music shines through, yet the narrative remains quite a surface exploration of her character, engaging but necessarily simplified amongst everything else the show offers. We are already so on her side as an audience – literally rooting and cheering for her, calling out warnings, wanting her to succeed, booing her rivals, absolutely inspired by her magnetic energy.
Set between multiple stages with the audience in the pit between them, we became a part of dancefloors, live music video shoots, confessional bedroom lyrics, and up-close drama, drawn into the world of bone-thrumming bass. The characters wove seamlessly through us as the crowd, creating spontaneous feeling interactions and a sense of community, the ensemble cast expertly guiding the flow of the story within the immediacy of the gig setting.
Sumayya Si-Tayeb’s BSL interpretation added to the richness and accessibility of the world, her presence embedded into the Grime Scene. She performed the rhythm, energy and personality of the music and lyrics, as well as taking part in the action generally – fluidly interacting with characters, chasing drama, dancing, joking – with her own moments and interludes.
The show is energising from start to finish, with a shared buzz and dynamic storytelling. The MC and DJ Harmony, played by Kaylee Kay, drive the atmosphere between moments of plot, with live-mixing and call-and-response, sustaining the vibe. The cast are all fantastic, funny and fully committed to their distinct characters. As well as being highly skilled MCs in their own right – it genuinely felt like a gig and people were filming the performances with the same enthusiasm. The use of projections throughout added another layer, with iconic cultural moments from the early 2000s providing a backdrop to the group’s rise to fame and the evolution of Grime’s position in the music industry.
Overall, this production is a high-octane, immersive experience. A celebration of music, community, and drive — exhilarating fun.
Lil.Miss.Lady played at the Barbican until 15th Feb. The show heads to Gloucester Guildhall on 31 May 2025, Salford’s Lowry from 13 – 14 June 2025 before landing at Brixton House from 9 – 20 July 2025.