Join acclaimed writer Alex Wheatle to discuss how music became his salvation through a childhood marred by abuse.
In this breathtaking memoir, acclaimed writer Alex Wheatle shows how music became his salvation through a childhood marred by abuse.
Abandoned as a baby to the British care system, Alex grows up with no knowledge of his Jamaican parentage or family history. Later, he is inexorably drawn to reggae, which becomes his lifeline through disrupted teenage years, the challenges of living as a young Black man in 1980s Britain and his imprisonment for protesting against systemic racism and police brutality.
Alex’s youth was portrayed in Oscar Award winning director Steve McQueen’s Small Axe series. In Sufferah, he tells his own story, urgently, vividly and unsentimentally. His award-winning fiction – and this memoir – are a call to never give up hope. They remind us that words can be our sustenance, and music our heartbeat.
More Listings MORE
Scrap It, Revamp It: 100 Years of Black History Commemorations (1926–2026)
In the early twentieth century, Black communities in the United States marked the February birthdays of social reformer…
Windrush Food Culture Exhibition
Explore the powerful story of Caribbean food and its lasting impact on Britain in Windrush Food Culture, a…
The Music Is Black: A British Story – Exhibition
The Music Is Black: A British Story is a major cultural exhibition opening at V&A East Museum, offering…
Tony Momrelle – Live at Ronnie Scott’s
Join internationally acclaimed British soul artist Tony Momrelle for a series of live performances at the legendary Ronnie…
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Following its world premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Company, this uplifting new musical adaptation of William Kamkwamba’s best-selling…
Vanessa Haynes – Live at Ronnie Scott’s
Join Trinidad-born vocalist Vanessa Haynes for a standout live residency at the iconic Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, delivering…
John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain – Exhibition
John Akomfrah: Listening All Night To The Rain marks the UK presentation of a major new multimedia installation…
The Harder They Come
Based on the cult classic film that brought reggae music to a global audience, The Harder They Come…