Poly Styrene: I Am a Cliché, is based on the life of Poly, the first woman of colour in the UK to front a successful rock band, and introduced the world to a new sound of rebellion.

Poly Styrene (Marianne Elliot-Said) used her unconventional voice to sing about identity, consumerism, postmodernism, and everything she saw unfolding in late 1970s Britain. As the frontwoman of X-Ray Spex, the Anglo-Somali punk musician was also a key inspiration for the riot grrrl and Afropunk movements.

But the late punk maverick didn’t just leave behind an immense cultural footprint. She was survived by a daughter, Celeste Bell, who became the unwitting guardian of her mother’s legacy and her mother’s demons.

Misogyny, racism, and mental illness plagued Poly’s life, while their lasting trauma scarred Celeste’s childhood and the pair’s relationship.

Featuring unseen archive material and diary entries, this documentary follows Celeste as she examines her mother’s unopened artistic archive and traverses three continents to better understand the icon and mother.

Free to members, £7.50 for corporate members and £10 for standard tickets. Purchase yours here

Poly Styrene, Guardian 2011

How to watch I Am a Cliché

Please note this rental is only available within the UK

1. Choose the film you want to watch
2. Add to basket and proceed to purchase
3. If you already have an account, you can log in during the purchase. If not, create an account as you buy
4. Once your purchase has gone through, you can click on the button to click to ‘Watch your films’, or click on the link in your email, or go to your account
5. Start watching your video. From purchase, you have 48 hours to start and finish watching the film. Enjoy!

If you have any issues, please contact our Box Office team via tickets@barbican.org.uk between 9.30am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, or browse our help centre.

The film is available to watch from Friday 5th March to Friday 2nd April 2021.

Header Image: Marianne Elliot-Said, AKA Poly Styrene by artist Paul Quinnell