UNBELIEVABLE: Alex urwin | History Defined

Brixton Calling: the wild true story behind the new musical

Simon Parkes bought Brixton Academy for £1, which was only the start of an incredible journey of music and madness - which has now been turned into a new theatre production

Evening Standard · Jul 28, 2025

Brixton Calling at Southwark Playhouse Borough review: a great London story, told with brio

3/5 This story of how the Brixton Academy was built has infectious charm and cocksure swagger

Evening Standard · Jul 28, 2025

Brixton Calling review – tender portrait of an iconic venue and the unsung hero who built it

Alex Urwin’s warm drama tells the story of Simon Parkes who at just 23 bought the Brixton Academy for a pound and turned it into a mainstay of the UK music scene

The Guardian - UK · Jul 27, 2025