‘Race, love and family’ aren’t unusual themes in an arts potion, but if you throw in Manchester, the 80s and an autobiographic questioning of identity into the cauldron, you’ll find yourself staring at the unique SparkPlug.
Inspired by events in his own life, Mancunian poet, playwright and performer David Judge brings his deeply personal SparkPlug to the stage.
Centred around the story of a mixed race child and his relationship with his white adoptive father, this monologue explores racism, violence and masculinity in an honest and energetic manner.
Judge said: “My biological Father, my ‘Black’ left me before I was born; my biological Mother, my ‘Blood’ left me when I was seven years old; the only person who stuck by me, from boy to man, who grew and shaped me into the man I am today was a white man.
“A white man with love and hate tattooed on his knuckles, with a ginger perm, with a Ford Capri, with Rod Stewart constantly on the stereo.
“So out of my loyalty to him, I have used my voice to write a play about the man who made me one. My Father.”
Last week we caught some rehearsals of the amazing new @bottc show ‘SparkPlug’ by David Judge. pic.twitter.com/ENqPfJ2dTJ
— Decoy Media (@thisisdecoy) January 31, 2019
Judge, who is best known for his roles in Hollyoaks and The Bill, writes and stars in SparkPlug, whilst Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder directs.
The play, produced by Box of Tricks, was a finalist for the Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play 2017.
SparkPlug is playing at HOME Manchester from Wednesday February 13 until Saturday, April 13.
