FAM – an original hip-hop drama

FAM is an original hip-hop drama written and performed by Stanza Divan and Lady Sanity exploring notions of black British identity, urban music and racial injustice.

Produced by Sputnik Theatre Company in collaboration with Professor Rajinder Dudrah, Slanguages Lead (Birmingham City University) & Creative Multilingualism (University of Oxford).

FAM was released to the public on 10  November 2022 – five years since Form 696 was scrapped by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. Apparently, Form 696 continues to be used in other parts of the UK.

Written & performed by Lady Sanity & Stanza Divan
Directed by Noah Birksted-Breen & Fraser West
Director of Photography – Nick Lee Shield
Music by Lady Sanity and Stanza Divan
Mixed & mastered by Adam Lewis
Sound by Fraser West
Edit by wetheconspirators
Captions by Megan Thackray-Howard

Cast:
Venus – Lady Sanity
Mars – Stanza Divan
Grandmother – Natasha Magigi
Father – Michael Muyunda
Sound engineer – Wayne Nelson
Policeman – Andy Burns
Policeman – Ross Marvin
Antoine – Francis Terry
DJ – Deano Presto
Grandad voicemail – Naji Wavey
Taxi driver – Aiden Ramkissoon
Friend voicemail – Corey Trevor
Manager’s voicemail – Lewis Fernandez

Special thanks to:

Edward Andrews, whose donation was invaluable for the making of this production.

Our gratitude to those who have nurtured this project from the outset with academic expertise and/or support: Professor Rajinder Dudrah, Professor Katrin Kohl, Professor Julie Curtis, Professor Philip Bullock, Daniel Tyler-Mctighe, Bhee Bellew, Katy Terry, Punch Records and the Birmingham Rep Theatre.

Thank you also to Matt and Kat at Firebug in Leicester for permitting the film makers use of their venue.

Archive footage:

Kinolibrary Archive Film Collections
1970s london, Reggae dance hall, young people dancing, Black British archive, 16mm
1970s uk, Black British young people discussing immigration, culture and identity, 16mm
1981 Protesters chanting at New Cross massacre march, Black Britain
1990s Birmingham, Busy high street, UK Archive Footage
1990s Gritty London council estate, Chalkhill, Brent
1990s Interview with young Black British kids, Mangrove
1990s Ladbroke Grove, London, Station, streets, Archive Footage
1990s London Graffiti, Kids playing basketball
1990s London youth club, Kings Cross
1990s Tottenham, North London, rushes, bame
1990s, 2000s Driving in central london at night, 35mm
1995 Brixton London riot voxpops 1990s
1995 Brixton riots riot police rare local London news footage
1995 Brixton streets, Archive Film rushes, 1990s London
1996 Notting Hill Carnival news reports, 1990s London
1997 Hackney nightclub shooting, vox pop, archive news footage
1998 Brixton before gentrification, Electric avenue, police station, 1990s
Brixton riots and culture
Brixton house party in the 90s
The frontline – young lions cafe, lumb lane, manningham, bradford, yorkshire, uk – 1995
Barbados government information service
Hurricane janet, her stories 60 years later – part 1
Hurricane janet, her stories 60 years later – part 2
British movietone
Hurricane “janet” floods
saffron saffron
The frontline: acapulco cafe, lozells rd, handsworth, birmingham, uk – 1980s
BBC
Windrush – documentary (1998) – 1: arrival
ITN archive
ITN archive – Brixton Riots footage 1981

  • About Us

    Sputnik is a British theatre company dedicated to sourcing, translating and producing new Russian drama for British audiences.

    There are several strands to Sputnik's work including:
    - producing new Russian plays in the UK
    - programming and organising the Russian Theatre Festival in London
    - developing Russian playwriting through commissions and exchanges
    - outreach work bringing drama to disadvantaged young people
    - cultural events with Russian literature and music

    Why Russia?
    Russia has a history of theatrical innovation. Russian playwrights have played a significant role in shaping modern European theatre.

    Contemporary playwriting in Russia has been going through an important and innovative period since 1991 with a prolific output by predominantly young dramatists.

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