Writer and performer Hassan Mahamdallie uses narration, punk tracks from the 70s, sound and moving image. The source for his material is his own archive, in itself an important contribution to the history of those years. Put into a stage performance, it gives entry to audiences who may know little, if anything, of the rise of the National Front, or of the fascist violence that plagued communities in London and across the UK.

Born in London into a large Indo-Trinidadian/English family, Mahamdallie’s own experiences inform the production. It’s highly personal, and also highly political. Just 16 in 1977, his connection to events is as much emotional as it is recollection.

A sense of poverty pervaded his life, coupled with an awareness of racism on the streets and in school. Memories stay with him today: of his mother being spat at because of her interracial marriage; of the anger this led to in his father, a member of the Windrush generation.

Further afield, the IRA was delivering deadly attacks on the UK mainland. In Soweto, there were uprisings in protest against South Africa’s system of apartheid. And in Birmingham, Conservative MP Enoch Powell was delivering inflammatory speeches on immigration. As the decade wore on, so racist violence on the streets of London became more extreme. Mahamdallie recounts attacks and murders, some of children as young as 14. The list which scrolls on screens behind him is truly shocking.

Discovering the world of punk, he found a refuge, a space where he could join others in anti-racist protest. It was protest that was informed by working-class experience and by personal exposure to abuse and assault.

He describes the thrill of seeing punk bands, and how they made him feel part of something bigger. The Sex Pistols, Eddie & the Hot Rods, Steel Pulse, X-Ray Spex, and (thrill turning to ecstasy) the Clash. How they helped him understand the connection between racism, classism and other forms of injustice. How they enabled him to take a stand and to fight back.

Mahamdallie’s delivery style is straightforward. This is narrative with a bit of dance thrown in and a soundtrack enhanced by Dom Kennedy’s bass guitar. The set, well-worn trunks, including one full of archive material, a turntable and a sound desk, is reminiscent of the times. There’s no glam here. And the final takeaway is a powerful tribute to freedom and of the need for people to come together to fight the rising tide of fascism today.

There’s nothing pretentious about it. In one way, that’s ok. But, in another way, there could be more to this. The show could punch home harder. With a bit more panache and a bit more structure, the raw emotion could be as real for the audience as it is for Mahamdallie. Storytelling is important. So too is the art of storytelling.

Punk Days was written and performed by Hassan Mahamdallie and directed by Stef O’Driscoll.
Sound designer and musician was Dom Kennedy.