In 90 minutes, this short theatre production takes you through the motions. Nothing short of thought provoking, a profound ability to challenging societal boundaries and facing up to the unsaid, ‘Fxcking Life Mate’ has the ability to tell tales of the truth behind the eyes of teen life from the misrepresented and misunderstood ‘working-class’, leaving the misconceptions and prejudices behind the closing curtain. Everything from teen pregnancies to aspirations for life beyond the estate, this play considers perspectives from all walks of life. 

Seated in an intimate setting at The Bread & Roses in Clapham, raw and honest would be the best way to describe such a powerful evening of theatre. Performed in round, there was no chance not to be immersed.

Originally trained as an actor having gone through drama school, producer and director Scott James of ‘Fxcking Life Mate’ discussed with me the forming of this play.

James had been influenced for this play by the places he had grown up around, with the central issues in the play reflected up on these areas around him. Thus, enabling him to relate the under-represented ‘coming of age’ category through the eyes of a girl and her life on the estate. Scott James had actually written the powerful ending monologue first, of which consequently he based the rest of the production off. 

Not only does James write from an exclusive perspective, he has a distinctive approach to producing such a performance, he wrote the parts for his actors, rather than the reverse, thus allowing a more expressive and natural approach for a flowing performance. Simplistic in props and setting, the acting eluded you to focus on the message and the actions.

But it doesn’t end there… James’ successful production of ‘Between a Man and a Woman’ explores more taboo issues, as well as some new productions underway.

Left with so many questions and innumerable thoughts, London is an immersive city with so much culture, so many opportunities, maybe we are looking in the wrong places to source the striving next generation.