Dance: Run, stop, fall, rise

Stories
by Romain Rachline Borgeaud
with Paul Redier, Angel Cubero, Lisa Delolme, Sandra Pericou, Geoffrey Goutorbe, Deborah Lotti, Antoine Nya, Aaron Colston Avella Hiles, Camille Lambese, Malory Hyvelin
sets Federica Mugnai • lighting Alex Hardellet
costumes Margaux Ponsard & Janie Loriault
Peacock Theatre, London • 23.Oct-2.Nov.24 ★★★★

After a sold-out tour of Europe, France's Got Talent finalists RB Dance Company present the UK premiere of their thumping show in London. A refreshingly new take on tap dance from writer-director-composer-choreographer Romain Rachline Borgeaud, this a loose take on the Icarus myth is packed with show-stopping numbers and breathtaking stagecraft. The plot may be a bit blurry, and the group numbers may sometimes feel repetitious, but this is a thrilling night at the theatre.

Set in a pastiche of Prohibition-era America, the show centres on a rising-star actor (Redier) who is pursued by both fans and the tabloids. But he is struggling to control his own destiny in the face of a movie director (Cubero) who calls the shots both on the set and in his private life. This leads to a fierce confrontation and a swirling nighttime odyssey into the city's streets, alleyways, hotels and speakeasies. Along the way he contends with a fiery femme fatale, an angry club owner and violent goons. But it's the director who guides his actions.

All of this plays out with enormous energy, as the company performs elaborate, pulsating tap numbers with staggering precision to a catchy collection of rhythmically growling songs. Even the sets themselves are in sync, moving and transforming accompanied by inventive lighting flourishes and visual trickery that add to both the narrative and the mood. The tone is robust and very masculine, even if half of the dancers are women, because the choreography demands strength and intensity. And along the way, there are several heart-stopping moments, including a couple of dives from dizzy heights.

Even more impressive is how the story generates a powerful emotional connection, allowing us to experience big feelings along with this tenacious young man. The story is very dark, sometimes downright grim, but it continually erupts in wildly energetic colour and movement that reflects the need for release and expression. Sequences around a gambling table, in lively bars or a bustling hotel lobby are remarkably vibrant. And in the end we're left almost as out of breath as the seriously gifted performers.

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photos by Aline Gérard • 23.Oct.24