centre stage
Alex Wheatle
With his new novel The Dirty South, Alex goes from strength to strength
I
t is often said that the best stories are borne out of success of his fourth novel Checkers, co-written with
our own personal experiences. Six books into his Mark Parham, a new chapter in his life had started.
literary career and British-Caribbean author, Alex With his latest offering The Dirty South, released
Wheatle, still finds this to be true. earlier this year, Alex once again focuses on London.
Initially starting out as a performance lyricist in the In it, the comfortable life of the protagonist Dennis
early Nineties (he was known as the Brixton Bard), Huggins is neatly juxtaposed with the hard-knock life
the change from lyrics to storytelling was a natural of Brenton Brown, the main character from his earlier
progression. According to Alex: ‘My performances novel Brixton Rock; deftly dispelling the myth that one
were all slices of life. It was all about taking something has to be poor to be involved in a life of crime.
from reality and putting it on a page.’ Born in the
Sixties, raised in a children’s home and being a young Accepting an MBE award
man in Brixton during the riots meant that Alex had Recently awarded an MBE for his contribution to
a vast amount of material to work with. His first three literature and the community, his decision to accept it
novels, Brixton Rock, East of Acre Lane and Seven was not an easy one to make. Living in the Diaspora,
dan Roach
Sisters were all semi-biographical. the stain of the British Empire is a hard one to remove.
For Alex, his acknowledgement of the past are his
Resonating prose words: ‘My politics are in my work and if this means
Interwoven with snapshots of other people’s realities, that more people read it – is that a bad thing?’
Alex’s prose resonates with his readers. His fifth novel Currently working on his seventh book, a fantasy
Island Songs, a charming exploration of rejection novel for teenagers, Alex tells me: ‘It is something
through the lives of two Jamaican sisters in their completely different and is definitely a challenge.’
native country and their journey to England, captures
his style beautifully. Unsurprisingly, it was well
received internationally, as well as nationally. He puts
“My performances were all slices of
the success of his fifth novel down to its authenticity.
‘It is so important that you do not neglect the way
life. It was about talking something
the characters speak, by using their language you’re from reality and putting it on a page”
keeping their true identity. If I had dropped the patois,
I would have lost half of the character,’ Alex explains.
Despite having his works published, the road to With Brixton Rock re-appearing as a theatre
success was not always smooth. Much like the life production at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in
and times of writers before him, he had received spring 2009, Alex is now busier than ever.
ds by Rachelle Hull, Photography by Jor
or
rejections and was once dropped by a well-known UK .
W
publisher. Still, after this initial setback and with the The Dirty South, Serpent’s Tail – available now
35
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40