TV series
Small Axe
Overview
An anthology series of five stories looking at the lives of a group of friends and their families in London’s West Indian community from the late 1960s to the early 80s.
Details
- First air date
- 2020-11-15
- Status
- Ended
- Seasons
- 1 season
- Episodes
- 5 episodes
- Genres
- Drama
- Network
- BBC One
- Production
- Lammas Park, Turbine Studios, EMU Films
- Country
- GB
- Original language
- EN
Cast
- Letitia Wright as Altheia Jones
- Shaun Parkes as Frank Crichlow
- Malachi Kirby as Darcus Howe
- Rochenda Sandall as Barbara Beese
- Jack Lowden as Ian MacDonald
- Sam Spruell as PC Pulley
- Gershwyn Eustache Jnr as Eddie LeCointe Jnr
- Nathaniel Martello-White as Rhodan Gordan
- Richie Campbell as Rothwell Kentish
- Jumayn Hunter as Godfrey Millett
- Gary Beadle as Dolston Isaacs
- Richard Cordery as Mr. Croft
Creators and crew
- Steve McQueen - Creator
- Lucy Richer - Executive Producer
- Tracey Scoffield - Executive Producer
- Rose Garnett - Executive Producer
- Steve McQueen - Executive Producer
- David Tanner - Executive Producer
Episodes
Episode 1: Mangrove
The true story of The Mangrove Nine, who clashed with London police in 1970. The trial that followed was the first judicial acknowledgment of behaviour motivated by racial hatred within the Metropolitan Police.
Episode 2: Lover's Rock
A single evening at a house party in 1980s West London sets the scene, developing intertwined relationships against a background of violence, romance and music.
Episode 3: Red, White and Blue
Spotlights the true story of Leroy Logan, who at a young age saw his father assaulted by two policemen, motivating him to join the Metropolitan Police and change their racist attitudes from within.
Episode 4: Alex Wheatle
Alex Wheatle follows the true story of award-winning writer, Alex Wheatle, from a young boy through his early adult years. Having spent his childhood in a mostly white institutional care home with no love or family, he finally finds not only a sense of community for the first time in Brixton, but his identity and ability to grow his passion for music and DJing. When he is thrown in prison during the Brixton Uprising of 1981, he confronts his past and sees a path to healing.
Episode 5: Education
The coming of age story of 12-year-old Kingsley, who has a fascination for astronauts and rockets. When Kingsley is pulled to the headmaster's office for being disruptive in class, he discovers he's being sent to a school for those with "special needs." Distracted by working two jobs, his parents are unaware of the unofficial segregation policy at play, preventing many Black children from receiving the education they deserve, until a group of West Indian women take matters into their own hands.
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