New production Dizzy explores memory and mortality, graffiti and grief

Qamar, 15-year-old maths genius, looks for patterns in everything. Desperate for answers following her brother’s death, she meets Stax, infamous graffiti artist and her brother’s mentor. Under Stax’s guidance she dives into the underground world of street art, and discovers the dream-like space known as the Axis. As she navigates her memories through the art her brother loved, she uncovers hidden layers of her brother’s life and her own, forging unbreakable bonds that defy mortality.

Brendan Barclay (The Importance of Being…Earnest?) will play the role of Stax and Sera Mustafa (Crackers) will play the role of Qamar, while Sex Education’s Reda Elazouar will provide the voice of Dizzy. Dizzy uses an innovative soundscape, transmitted through provided headphones, in a captivating blend of technology and storytelling.

Mohamed-Zain Dada is Theatre Centre’s Resident Writer and the idea for the show was developed through conversations with hundreds of students in schools and communities across Lewisham, Crawley and Sheffield to ensure that it speaks to current times. Throughout the development of the script, he has been in research and development sessions with young people all over the country, including in schools and with National Youth Theatre.

Writer Mohamed-Zain Dada said:

“It's been a brilliant process of looking into graffiti culture in London (working with writers like BOPA), director Rob and young people from across England. One of the striking things a graffiti writer told me through the process of developing this show was that 'tagging is like a love letter to a space or building in some ways, a mediation on impermanence' and I think this idea of reckoning with impermanence is really what sits at the heart of this play.”

Director and Artistic Director of Theatre Centre Rob Watt added:

“In collaboration with hundreds of young people across England, Zain has created a story that truly resonates. Dizzy is a magical adventure that speaks to the profound losses many young people experience post-pandemic. Through immersive sound design by the sonic genius Mwen, we aim to transport our audience deep into the heart of the story.”

Tickets for Dizzy are on sale now at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.