MILES. ★★★★ Southwark Playhouse, Borough | Feb 4 - Mar 7, 2026


Two narratives are deftly counterpointed in the concert drama MILES. One follows a young trumpeter mentored by the ghostly presence of the jazz icon. The other revisits the electrifying creation of his recording masterpiece Kind of Blue. These strands are intricately interwoven to create a rich and searching meditation on creativity. They also offer an evocative glimpse into the world shaped by racism, scarred by drug addiction, and charged with the emotional volatility that defined the musician’s life and work. The love affair with Juliette Gréco and the complicated relationship with Charlie Parker are presented as formative experiences that shaped Davis for better and for worse. Benjamin Akintuyosi delivers a commanding and uncanny portrayal of the legendary trumpeter while Jay Phelps is utterly convincing as the young musician haunted and pushed to excel by his mentor. Their chemistry is immediate and compelling, and both performers move with striking assurance between multiple roles, shifting character with fluency and ease. Although the play is structured around two complementary stories, the young trumpeter’s character seems underdeveloped, and at times the piece slips into a familiar pitfall of biographical drama. Excessive narration occasionally dulls the momentum without deepening the themes. Even so, the evening’s peaks are undeniable. Akintuyosi’s magnetic presence is riveting, and Phelps’s superb musicianship brings genuine fire and emotional weight to the stage. Director Oliver Kaderbhai ensures the production remains fluid and visually alive, while Alex Lewer’s lighting design is imaginative, precise, and unexpectedly lyrical. Taken as a whole, MILES. is an engrossing and musically exhilarating experience that will richly reward devoted fans and offer newcomers a vivid and inspiring point of entry into the extraordinary legacy of one of jazz’s greatest innovators.

Rated: ★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Colin J Smith

When, Where, Getting there:
Map & Location: 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD, UK

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