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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?

CODE, Justice in Motion’s urban odyssey into County Lines and Knife Crime, is a spectacular blend of physical theatre, parkour and trials bike stunts with live rap and music. On an urban playground, skilled athletes and performers show what is happening to our young people exploited by organised drug crime gangs.
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.

In some locations, following a 3-day residency with the company, local young people will find out about County Lines and the dangers involved. Together with the professional team, learning special movement skills, they will create part of the show and will perform alongside athletes and performers.

Our latest production digs into the growing levels of child exploitation by criminal gangs known as County Lines. It follows on from our previous productions which explored different kinds of modern slavery: BOUND (forced labour, sex trafficking and domestic servitude) and ON EDGE (exploitation of construction workers).

County Lines refers to the mobile phone lines that criminal gangs use to organise, store and sell drugs.

Vulnerable young people are particularly at risk of exploitation. They are often recruited by the gangs using drug debts, grooming or threats.

 

Associate Director
Chris Evans

Rehearsal Director
Michael Lynch

Composer
Quentin Lachapele

Set & Costume Designer
Celia Perkins

Set Creation
Splinter Scenery

Graphic Designer
Evy Prentice
Antony Bridle

Stage Manager
Eddie Latter

Production Manager
George Moran

Youth Company Director
Miles Kearley

Costumes
Jael Marmet

Youth Engagement Manager
Roy Peach

App Developer
Adam Ilko

“Absolutely blown away”

This was incredible, well done guys. Absolutely blown away

James Ottley, Children Heard and Seen

“Brilliant work”

Brilliant work! Really well done

Outdoor Arts UK

“Choreography is rich and tight”

The bikes are thrilling and the choreography is rich and tight with some truly haunting imagery

Michael Sells, Dartington Trust

“clear message”

You guys are super talented! It was such a cleverly done show with a clear message and such cool ways of portraying it. Amazing stunts and acting.

Audience member

“gripping, gritty, compelling”

Code was gripping, gritty, compelling, in your face, technically professional, maturity of the acting and rapping was brilliant. Code is relevant to now and thus a story that needs to be shared with others

Audience member

“The ending was really important”

It was so, so good. My 7 year old just told granny all about the show he saw… The ending was really important for [him].

Audience member

“like nothing I’ve ever seen”

The show has a strong and clear narrative that is expressed through breath taking parkour and trials bike stunts. The show is physical and raw – like nothing I’ve ever seen. (5 stars)

Quaere Living

“Visually arresting scenes”

These are hard-hitting subjects for a popular, public drama and Meinhardt astutely employs visually-arresting scenes to capture the attention of the crowd.

Meinhardt’s productions are known for fusing dance and movement with circus and aerialist skills, and innovatively in 2019’s On Edge, which was also staged in Broad Street, parkour. Parkour is also a feature of Code with hoodie-wearing performers swinging and jumping over the heights of the stage.

Particularly stunning are the stunt cyclists who seem to defy gravity in jumping vertically on to barriers and platforms above them.

Newbury Today

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Dates

2024

1 June – Whitelands Academy (MUGA), Hexham Road, Bicester, OX26 1AY / 11am & 2pm

2 June – Market Square, Bicester OX26 6AD / 12.30pm & 3.30pm

14 June – Cleethorpes Academy, Cleethorpes / public performance 4pm

4 July – Aureus School, Candytuft Way, Harwell, Didcot OX11 6FF / public performance 5.30pm

12 July – Deventer Op Stelten, Netherlands, Beestenmarkt / 10pm

13 July – Deventer Op Stelten, Netherlands, Beestenmarkt / 4.15pm & 10pm

14 July – Deventer Op Stelten, Netherlands, Beestenmarkt / 1pm & 4.15pm

20 & 21 July – River Festival, Bedford / 12pm & 3pm Audio Described

23 August – Greenbelt Festival / 12.30pm & 3.30pm Audio Described

31 August – Freedom Festival, Hull / 1.45pm & 5pm Audio Described

1 September – Freedom Festival, Hull / 1.45pm & 4.45pm Audio Described

14 September – Bell Square, Hounslow / 1pm & 4pm Audio Described

18 September – Peterborough College, Peterborough / 10am & 2pm Audio Described

12 October – John Madejski Academy, Reading / 12pm & 3pm Audio Described

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