This is Makina!

Dramaturg, Christina Berriman Dawson	Director, Pav Christodoulou

Work is well underway for an exciting forthcoming project at our venue. ‘This is Makina!’ is a new show being produced in partnership with Boundless Theatre about the popular hyperlocal music genre.

Around half of the weekly sessions, led by local talent in dramaturg Christina Berriman Dawson, DJ A.D.S and MC Drop Dead Fred, have taken place with young people from the north east who have a passion for Makina.

In the weekly sessions, the participants have had the opportunity to make beats, craft lyrics, and hone MC-ing skills, all whilst shaping the narrative of, ‘This is Makina!’ ensuring that it has a relevant and authentic voice, and highlighting what is so special about this music scene.

‘As a venue at the heart of the community, we know how important it is to represent the interests of the Borough, and for young people who are passionate about Makina, we wanted them to find a place here. Our creatives are passionate about telling the story of this artform, and it is a pleasure to create theatre in this collaborative way with the future generation of MCs and Makina fans,’ Fiona Martin, Deputy Director at The Customs House.

Makina has been popular for over 30 years in and around the local area, taking its name from a genre that is barely known outside of the region. Commonly referred to as New Monkey, the music is unique combining 180 BPM Spanish Techno and MCing.

Despite its local popularity and legacy, Makina is rarely in the spotlight, and has yet to feature on stage.

The show will be written by actor and director Christina Berriman Dawson, with DJ A.D.S. The story will be feature original music from the MCs who are part of the project, with the hope that some of them would perform live. This is Makina! will also feature three South Shields performers in Joe Henderson, Jordan Mullen and Andrew Finnigan, with each bringing an authentic understanding of how this art form unites young people and communities. Christina said, ‘Makina is an important part of our culture here in the North East. It is the soundtrack of the region and I am thrilled to be working with such a strong team to bring Makina to Theatreland.’

Following the weekly sessions, there will be a performance directed by Pav Christodoulou, and Associate Artist of Boundless Theatre on 3 and 4 November in their newly refurbished Studio Theatre.

‘This is Makina!’ will invite audiences to embark on a thrilling ride through the pulsating beats of Makina music. Set in the heart of South Shields, this gig theatre experience will capture the vibrant essence of the region, intertwining local stories with universal themes of identity, community and the power of music to unite.

For more information about the project, email [email protected]. For tickets call 0191 454 1234 or visit https://customshouse.co.uk/music/this-is-makina/