Tambo and Bones Review
If I was being 100% honest, I would probably not have chosen to go and see Tambo and Bones if I hadn’t been offered press tickets to review it. However, I was intrigued by the description and decided to go along!
The show follows two friends, Tambo and Bones, on their journey from comedy double-act, to hip-hop superstars, to activists in an America at the epicentre of the global Black Lives Matter movement.
As a white family living in a fairly affluent area of the UK, I won’t pretend that we have any lived experience of the racism looked at in this show. I am so glad that we took advantage of the opportunity to see it though. In a world where people seem increasingly divided, the show raises some difficult questions and challenges that we should all make ourselves aware of – however difficult that may be.
Despite the difficult subject matter that the writers are dealing with, we laughed along with the characters and followed them on their journey, backing them to succeed. This made the final scenes and conclusion of the show all the more impactful.
The show is most definitely not for young children as it deals with some complex and sensitive issues around race is today’s world. The producers say that the intended audience is 14+. I watched it with my teenage son and he definitely ‘got it’ and it provoked some really interesting discussions on the way home but you should bear your own child’s ability to understand and appreciate the issues being dealt with before you book tickets for them.
Tambo and Bones is unlike anything I have seen at the theatre before. Challenging, thought provoking and absolutely a must-see.
Tambo and Bones will be at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry until 12 April 2025.
Image credits – Jane Hobson
