National gets a solid crew

Asher D is about to hang with the National Theatre crew. The former garage MC turned rapper used to be known as Ashley Walters.

I first came across him when he appeared in Storm Damage, the much under-rated film Lennie James wrote for the BBC. Then he was part of So Solid Crew and hit the headlines over a gun issue.

Now he's one of the ensemble cast for Roy Williams's play Sing Yer Hearts Out For The Lads, which has a first night at the National on April 30.

Ashley, or Asher D, or whatever, joins a company that includes Ray Fearon,

Tanya Franks, Gawn Grainger and Steve John Shepherd in a play first seen in the National's Transformation season two years ago.

It's set in a South London pub, against the backdrop of the England v Germany football match in the autumn of 2000.