Kingston 14

Description

Set in modern-day Jamaica, Kingston 14 follows the story of James, a black British police officer, who is sent to Kingston to investigate the murder of an English tourist in a local hotel. Tied to Jamaica by his father who was born there, James struggles to lead a proper investigation when gang leader, Joker, is brought into custody. The play comes to a climax when two police officers are kidnapped, uncovering corruption hidden in a corner of the sun-bleached island. Roy Williams's police-corruption drama received its world premiere at Theatre Royal Stratford East, London - where Williams's first play, The No Boys Cricket Club, was produced in 1996 - on 28 March 2014, starring Goldie as Joker.

Roy Williams, OBE, worked as an actor before turning to writing full-time in 1990. He graduated from Rose Bruford in 1995 with a first class BA Hons degree in Writing and participated in the 1997 Carlton Television screenwriter's course. His plays include The No Boys Cricket Club (Theatre Royal, Stratford East, 1996); Starstruck (Tricycle Theatre, London, 1998); Lift Off (Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, 1999); Night and Day (Theatre Venture, 1996); Josie's Boys (Red Ladder Theatre Co., 1996); Souls (Theatre Centre, 1999); Local Boy (Hampstead Theatre, 2000); The Gift (Birmingham Rep/Tricycle Theatre, 2000); Clubland (Royal Court, 2001); Fallout (Royal Court Theatre, 2003); Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (National Theatre, 2002, 2004); Little Sweet Thing (New Wolsey, Ipswich/ Nottingham Playhouse/Birmingham Rep, 2005), Slow Time (National Theatre Education Department tour, 2005), Days of Significance (Swan Theatre, Stratfordupon- Avon, 2007), Absolute Beginners (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, 2007), Joe Guy (Tiata Fahodzi/Soho Theatre, 2007), Baby Girl (National Theatre, 2007), Out of the Fog (Almeida Theatre, 2007), There's Only One Wayne Matthews (Polka Theatre, 2007), Category B (Tricycle Theatre, 2009) and Sucker Punch (Royal Court, 2010). He also contributed A Chain Play (Almeida Theatre, 2007) and Sixty Six (Bush Theatre, 2011). He was awarded the OBE for Services to Drama in the 2008 Birthday Honours List.

It feels like a mash up of Reservoir Dogs and early Guy Ritchie in its verbal dexterity and fetishisation of linguistic brutality . . . A fierce and intelligent play. * Time Out * a surging in-yer face power...Kingston 14 is a compelling play * The Guardian * Kingston 14 is urgent, explosive and wholly intelligible...it gives us lives and language scarcely ever seen on the stage * Guardian * there's something about its rumbustious macho energy, fast-talking authenticity and noble intentions * The Telegraph * Williams probes the blurred lines between those on the street and those on the beat, shifting between lament and defiant celebration as he ponders the future of the country * The Telegraph * Spirited, raging drama * Independent * a zingy...piece of storytelling that gives previously unheard voices space to brawl * The Stage * killingly funny * British Theatre Guide * bold and free flowing...an old fashioned cop drama packed full of gangsters, guns and drugs * The Public Reviews * Roy Williams' fizzing new cop show . . . Williams spins a very good yarn and the play is peppered with comic misunderstandings and outrageously rude gags . . . a gripping and sympathetic portrayal of a country toiling to find its future and of men struggling to find a role. * Financial Times * Kingston 14 has guts, wit . . . Williams writes with uncompromising conviction. * Evening Standard * . . . a riot of skittering one-liners and hilarious switchback exchanges. . . . There's a fierce and intelligent play here . . . * Time Out London *