Fuel presents The Spalding Suite 

Conceived by Inua Ellams 

Directed by Benji Reid  

Commissioned by Southbank Centre and Contact 

A physical theatre show inspired by the UK’s basketball sub-culture. 

‘When we were young, we worshipped stars.
gleaming long-limbed gods
framed in the act of impossible flight,
For a time we tried to follow,
to carve out our own piece of sky
with a butter-smooth arc of an arm
and a Spalding ball glued to the fingertips‘ 

Fresh poetry combined with contemporary movement celebrated the elegance and beauty of basketball. 

Seen from a British perspective, The Spalding Suite got to the heart and soul of the gravity-defying game and dove into the hopes and dreams of those who play it. 

Six dynamic performers mixed live beatboxing, hip-hop, music, moves, and poetry, and took us from the fleeting high of the score and the robust camaraderie of the team, to the poignant lows of a body too worn to play the game. 

Poetry by Inua Ellams, Bohdan Piasecki, Jacob Sam-La Rose, Roger Robinson, Nick Makoha, and Nii Parkes. 

#SpaldingSuite 

Co-commissioned by Southbank Centre and Contact. Funded by Arts Council England and a Wellcome Trust Arts Award. Produced by Fuel.