REVIEWS

TONES - A HIP HOP OPERA

★★★★★ “Exceptional level of storytelling… For the entire hour, he never misses a beat, switching flows, characters and subjects with an effortless quality that is enchanting to watch… Symbolism is perfected down to the minute detail… An engaging and beautiful story, this half-masked rapper from Harlesden creates a touching and intimate piece” - EdFringeReview

★★★★★ “This one-man show will blow you away from the first second, gripping you tightly and not letting go... an identity crisis that accelerates with increasing pace as we race with Jerome until the very end. Combining the sounds of grime, hip-hop and drill with the melodrama of opera, this is a highly original show about a very real issue." - 7StarLife

★★★★★ “Tones: A Hip Hop Opera is small but mighty... from a front-row seat the stamina and concentration needed to keep up the beats for the full hour becomes mesmerising, a pact between performer and audience who will him on in a feat of memory and rhythm. By the end I was elated." - Life in Theatre

★★★★ "At points funny, intense, wonderful and harrowing, Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera is a must-see of this year's Fringe… The original tracks that have been composed for the show are fantastic… it is clear what a talented lyricist and MC Gerel Falconer is… As Jerome takes us through his life via an hour of almost non-stop rapping, the ability of rap music to tell a story and to deliver a message of the deepest depths of one's soul becomes clear." -BroadwayWorld

★★★★ “Gerel Falconer is a master storyteller. Never missing a beat... Tones makes us laugh, it makes us feel, it makes us think. It takes a theme that affects every one of us and infuses that theme with drama and humanity." - The Edinburgh Reporter

★★★★ "Uplifting and bold… Gerel Falconer achieves no mean feat, spitting the lyrics of his life story for a solid hour, pausing only for the odd beat change. Falconer’s bars blend hip-hop, grime and drill to allow for introspection without being sentimental, using humour to reel us in and tragedy to upend our expectations… he raps unfazed, injecting energy and passion into his storytelling, with impressive comic timing and cadence throughout.” -  BroadwayBaby

★★★★ “If you like rap in all its forms, or simply like to hear about someone’s journey from childhood to finding their place in the world, you will love this show… Gerel Falconer is a supremely talented artist… This is a masterclass in the art of telling a story through rap… He holds us in the palm of his hand with his storytelling, right until the last beat fades..." - Edinburgh Guide