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 21 books, including a novella, 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 has been nominated for a 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.