Dance: Across the sea

We Caliban
concept, choreography & direction Shobana Jeyasingh
dancers Harry Ondrak-Wright, Holly Vallis, Raúl Reinoso Acanda, Oliver Mahar, George Gregory, Tanisha Addicott, Gabriel Ciulli, Tabitha O’Sullivan
text consultant Priyamvada Gopal • dramaturg Uzma Hameed
composer Thierry Pécou • sound Fred DeFaye
sets & costumes Mayou Trikerioti
lighting Floriaan Ganzevoort • projection William Duke
Sadler's Wells East, Stratford • 21-23.Apr.26 ★★★

There's a strikingly loose visual style to this fascinating take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, as dancers energetically dive into swirling choreography that's more expressive than precise. This helps to draw out personal insights in a story that plays with a central theme of colonialism, specifically the superiority one culture can feel toward another. The impressive staging includes dazzling lighting and projections. And even if it feels both on-the-nose and rather elusive, the show is thoroughly gripping.

It opens on Prospero (Harry Ondrak-Wright), his daughter Miranda (Holly Vallis), his brother Antonio (Oliver Mahar) and their learned community. In a power struggle, Prospero and Miranda are set adrift, washing ashore far from home. In this foreign land, they encounter Caliban (Raúl Reinoso Acanda) and his own learned community. But Prospero and Miranda insist on teaching them their civilised ways, even as Miranda falls for Caliban, which is something Prospero is definitely not happy about.

The stretchy, spinning choreography features astonishing shapes and powerful lifts, performed slowly for maximum impact. It's also intriguingly rough around the edges. Dancers sometimes link together, entangled in sexy formations. There's scrappy violence, and group sequences that are almost, but not quite, in unison. It's eye-catching and often thrilling to watch, especially as intense emotions churn between the characters. One provocative touch is to have the performers carrying books to symbolise culture. Of course Prospero believes his book is better than the Caliban books, while Miranda tames the "savage" Caliban using art, including ballroom dancing lessons. But then, he also teaches her lusty moves in a tender, exploratory sequence.

Cool lighting designs augment the movement, surrounding the dancers with spotlights that bounce off a string curtain to create shimmering textures. The soundscape features music by Thierry Pécou, voiceover readings and snippets of dialog that accompany the on-screen text and video. A big storm brings these elements together with a dazzling array of light, sound and wind. And all of this reverberates with condescending colonial attitudes towards "uncivilised heathens". Against this, the earthy, warm-hued costumes have a hint of sci-fi about them, as if this is taking place on a planet Captain Kirk is about to beam onto.

Playing out through seven distinct scenes, there are highlights peppered throughout the show, most notably two superbly expressive duets involving Reinoso Acanda alongside Vallis and then Tanisha Addicott. With echoing movements, these feature impressively controlled displays of strength and balance. Then in the end, the plot continues into a rather chilly final sequence in which Prospero asserts his control. And the way the Caliban community is left changed forever is haunting.

For information, SHOBANA JEYASINGH DANCE >

photos by Foteini Christofilopoulou • 21.Apr.26