After a 3 day residency at Cleethorpes Academy delivering assemblies, rap and physical theatre workshops and helping students to unlock their creative power, the team at Justice in Motion performed their show CODE to an eager audience. Check out the video below.
The phone vibrates…a message…times, numbers, deals…and a warning. All in code. So young and so troubled. At home, in school, on the street. There’s no way out – is there?
As part of Our Future Starts Here, The Culture House is partnering with national physical theatre/dance company Justice in Motion to present their adrenaline fuelled, gravity defying show CODE – revealing the growing issue of county lines and knife crime that is happening under our noses.
On an urban playground, skilled athletes and performers show what is happening to our young people exploited by organised drug crime gangs in this spectacular blend of physical theatre, parkour and trials bike stunts with live rap and music.
This story could be happening right now. See inside the County Lines through up-close, dazzling, adrenaline-fuelled, audacious story-telling inspired by true case studies.
From Tuesday 11 June, Justice in Motion will be teaming up with Cleethorpes Academy and collaborating with Humberside Police and North East Lincolnshire Community Safety Partnership, to work with Year 7, 8 & 9 students at the school, delivering a series of workshops and assemblies for young people exploring social issues that are linked with their CODE.
Pupils will work with professional performers to explore movement in dance and physical theatre and will have the opportunity to express themselves through creative writing and rap.
Vice Principal Paul Kaylow of Cleethorpes Academy, said:
“We’re very pleased to be working with The Culture House and Justice in Motion on this project. We know the two days of assemblies and workshops are going to be hard-hitting but informative, addressing difficult topics many teenagers encounter.
“Theatre and performance art can tackle such issues in a different and more engaging way than in a classroom and students are looking forward to watching CODE.”
Told with the energy and excitement of athletic choreography, incorporating mesmerising bike stunts on a specially constructed outdoor set, CODE tells the story of how drug dealers are using children to operate their trade
Bringing awareness to the events happening under our noses and within our communities, CODE is the latest touring show from physical theatre/dance company Justice in Motion, a company quickly establishing themselves at the forefront of theatre for social change and using their platform to tackle vital contemporary social issues.
Across the country, newspapers report on the drug trading of criminal gangs in both urban and rural areas, a practice called ‘County Lines’ in reference to the ways in which mobile phones are used to organise drug distribution across local authority boundaries. The work has been created to reveal the plight of vulnerable, exploited teenagers (and sometimes younger children) who are lured and coerced into becoming part of this underground industry.
Using the combination of highly physical parkour athletes, stunt bike riders and theatre performers, CODE tells the gripping story of a reality hidden in the shadows of everyday life. With a narrative pulled together and performed by popular Sheffield-based artist rapper and actor, Marcus ‘Matic Mouth’ Smith, whose lyrics provide the insight of someone with a personal connection to the show’s themes, and the debut professional acting role of 14-year-old Esra Marmet playing the protagonist, Nicky, the show unfolds.
The energetic, breath-taking, and visually stimulating performances details an unforgettable tale of a young person falling prey to a gang. Groomed with gifts and coerced with threats, their victim takes on the dangerous business of drug running. The result is a visually stunning, breath-taking, and mesmerising piece of theatre.
Since launching their County Lines Programme in 2019 the government has been able to confirm that 5000+ county lines have been closed, 15,500+ people have been arrested and 8000+ individuals have been referred by police to safeguarding. In December of 2023 the home office was able to confirm that over 2000+ lines had been closed that year, exceeding the target they had set to complete by March of 2025. The battle however, is far from won and young people still remain at considerable risk. More info here.
CODE’s 2024 tour aims to raise awareness, helping to demonstrate the tell-tale signs of youth exploitation and informing audiences, families, carers and educators how to spot when there may be a problem. Additionally the show intends to help spread the message and inform audiences of the CODE app, a digital resource that provides information on county lines, including ways to access support such as websites and agencies around the UK.
The Culture House brings CODE to Cleethorpes Academy as part of ‘future-facing’ arts programme Our Future Start Here, supported by Arts Council England and Create North East Lincolnshire.
The organisation has additionally involved Rich Tipple from Cleebridge Films, a local film-maker who has recently hit headlines with the release of ‘Think Twice’, a film about knife crime and bullying.
Think Twice will be shown to pupils at Clee Academy to help raise awareness of the subject ahead of the visit from Justice in Motion. Rich will also be working with the groups to capture the workshops and performances.
Rich Tipple – Cleebridge Films, said:
“I am excited to be part of such an impactful project, especially being local, it’s great to have something like this to raise awareness of the everyday issues that our young people face. They’re our future, the next generation so we should be leading by example and this is a fantastic way of doing so.”
“Art is such a powerful tool to raise awareness of these sorts of subjects and we’re thrilled to be working with Justice in Motion who have lots of experience in schools and communities to highlight and support education around social issues whilst inspiring creativity and expression in young people.”
Charlotte Bowen of The Culture House said:
“We’re proud that CODE will be coming to Cleethorpes as part of its UK tour as part of our work to widen access to culture and creativity to underpin quality of life. We can’t wait for people to see the show, understand more about the issues it explores and hopefully spread the word”.
The Grimsby performances are included in the CODE 2024 Tour – for full schedule of the UK Tour 2024 dates visit: www.justiceinmotion.co.uk/show/code
THE SHOW IS SUPPORTED BY
Our Future Starts Here is produced by The Culture House, an arts and cultural organisation based in Grimsby working to widen access to culture, enliven spaces and provide more opportunities for connection while exploring issues that matter to us all. The Culture House is a National Portfolio Organisation of Arts Council England.
