Alex Wheatle Day
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Theatre Peckham and Words of Colour have joined forces to launch Alex Wheatle Day to celebrate the literary legacy of the multi-award-winning author who died on 16th March 2025.
The inaugural Alex Wheatle Day, which will be an annual event, includes a staged adaptation of Alex’s YA novella WITNESS (Serpent’s Tail, 2022) written by Theatre Peckham’s CEO Suzann McLean and writer David Fielding.
Commissioned by Alex before he passed away, the play explores courage, loyalty and the price of telling the truth against a backdrop of knife crime.
There will be a post-show panel featuring award-winning writer and poet Derek Owusu (Borderline Fiction), actors Sheyi Cole (who played Alex) and Elliot Edusah (who played Alex’s best friend Valin) in Small Axe, Steve McQueen’s anthology film series, and Iyare Igiehon, film and TV industry executive and former Creative Diversity Partner at the BBC where Alex’s Crongton was adapted for TV.
Alex Wheatle, aka the ‘Brixton Bard’, wrote over 20 books, including novellas, and won the London Arts Board Writers Prize 2000 for Brixton Rock, the Guardian’s Children’s Fiction Award in 2016 and the Renaissance Quiz Writers’ Choice Award for Crongton Knights. The BBC’s adaptation of Crongton won the RTS Award for Best Children’s Programme 2026 and the Children’s Scripted BAFTA Television Award 2026.
A regular visitor to schools and prisons across the country on literacy programmes, Alex believed that “creativity is a necessary tool to tackle the modern world for young people”.
Alex Wheatle Day will also host a foyer exhibition on Alex’s legacy, curated by Words of Colour, a special reggae, dub, Lovers Rock and grime set by DJ Hybrid J, alongside food stalls and raffles for prizes, including Alex’s award-winning Crongton book series donated by Hachette Children’s Group.
To book your tickets for Alex Wheatle Day visit: www.theatrepeckham.co.uk/show/
witness/ Find out more about Alex Wheatle here.
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Alex Wheatle Day
“I knew and worked with Alex Wheatle for over a decade. Alex was a literary activist, poet, playwright, novelist, screenwriter and MC with a deep knowledge and love of reggae, dub and Lovers Rock which he admitted saved his life. He wanted young people, especially from underrepresented communities, to be creative, shine and be heard and seen. Once a year, Alex Wheatle Day will honour his creative palette while championing storytelling and centring young talent at an unprecedented time of financial strain on the arts.
“Theatre Peckham and Words of Colour wanted to create Alex Wheatle Day to honour Alex’s legacy as a writer and the impact of his work. Alex encouraged people from underrepresented backgrounds to tell their own stories, and his books offer a realistic picture of growing up in contemporary Britain. He believed sharing these stories could inspire change. At Theatre Peckham, Alex Wheatle Day allows storytelling, community and opportunity to connect.
“Every time I think about Alex it’s a constant reminder of his resilience. Take one day at a time; having the courage not to let your past define your future. This is something I hold on to and try to mould my own life around. Having a day dedicated to Alex will not only remind people of this but also educate the generation to follow. It will be a beautiful day for people to celebrate his legacy.”
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Witness, a YA novella, was published by Serpent’s Tail in 2022 for Quick Reads, which are short books and great stories by bestselling authors, written in an accessible and easy to read style.
Cornell navigates life in a Pupil Referral Unit full of young people marginalised by mainstream schools. When he witnesses a shocking act of violence, his world changes forever leaving him torn between speaking out and risking everything or staying silent to protect those closest to him. Intense, urgent and still timely, Witness explores courage, loyalty and the price of telling the truth.
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Alex Wheatle Day hosted by Theatre Peckham and Words of Colour on Monday 4th May 2026 was a success.
The staged adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s YA novella Witness was performed in front of an engaged and capacity audience, one-third of whom stayed for the post show panel discussion.
Moderated by Words of Colour’s Executive Director Joy Francis, the panel featured Theatre Peckham’s CEO/Artistic Director Suzann McLean, award-winning writer and poet Derek Owusu, actors Sheyi Cole and Elliot Edusah, and Iyare Igiehon, film and TV industry executive.
Celebrities, including Malachi Kirby and Jo Martin, were in attendance and the exhibition was a discussion point before and after the performance.
In this section you will find photographs from the night and below them a specially curated compilation of the filmed interviews with Alex by Words of Colour since 2012.
Photo credit: Adrianne McKenzie and Joy Francis
As part of Alex Wheatle Day, Joy Francis, Words of Colour’s Executive Director, curated a micro exhibition of Alex’s work, words and legacy.
This is a curated snapshot of some of the filmed interviews conducted with Alex by Joy Francis and Words of Colour since 2012, including via Zoom during the Covid pandemic and lockdowns in 2020.
The compilation includes an exclusive interview with Academy Award-winning director Steve McQueen on how Alex’s story became one of films in his acclaimed five-part film anthology series Small Axe.
Produced by Adrianne McKenzie
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Alex Wheatle’s legacy continues to inspire with two prestigious TV awards
Alex Wheatle’s acclaimed Crongton book series, which was adapted for the BBC by writer Archie Maddocks and directed by Ethosheia Hylton, won the Children’s Category at the RTS Programme Award 2026, and the Best Children’s Scripted BAFTA TV Award 2026.
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This is a speech composed by Alex Wheatle’s family, that was read out to the audience by Words of Colour’s Executive Director Joy Francis after the Witness post show panel discussion.
Good evening, everyone.
For those who don’t know me, I’m Alex’s daughter. Looking around this room today, seeing my mum, our friends, and our extended family, I feel an incredible sense of pride – not just for the man my father was, but for the community that continues to champion his story.
I want to start with a heartfelt thank you to Suzann and Joy. Thank you for your vision, your hard work, and for bringing us all together to create “Alex Wheatle Day.” You didn’t just organize an event; you created a space for reflection, celebration, and legacy. Part of that legacy is the play we’ve all gathered to see, Witness, and we are so grateful to you for putting it on.
To the actors – watching you bring these characters to life is a powerful experience. You’ve captured the heart of the struggle and the resilience that my dad wrote about so passionately. More importantly, you are showing the youngsters here today that even in the most challenging situations, our decisions matter. I hope every young person walks away from this play thinking a little more deeply about their own path and the power they have to shape their own future, even when the odds feel stacked against them.
I also want to thank the panel. Thank you for coming together to discuss my father’s work and for keeping his memory so vibrant. Hearing you share your own wisdom with these young adults is exactly what he would have wanted. He believed in the power of the voice, and you are helping the next generation find theirs.
Finally, a massive thank you to the audience. Thank you for coming out over the weekend and today to experience Witness and celebrate Alex Wheatle Day with us. Your support means the world to our family.
Dad’s stories were always about finding a way through the dark, and seeing you all here reminds me that his light is still very much shining.
