Dance: Recollections may vary

Jess & Morgs
Deepfake
director-choreographers Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple
performers Kennedy Muntanga, Rebecca Bassett-Graham, Cathy Grealish, Dylan Springer, Tommi Sutton, Marshall Stay, Grace Broodie, Freya Burdon-Watson, Eva Rose Fellows, Evelien Van Den Hondel, Claire Goose, Habib Nasib Nader
writer Jeff James • video design Dan Light
set/costumes Milla Clarke • lighting Simon Bennison
Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford • 1-3.Oct.26 ★★★★

Dazzling on multiple fronts, this fast-paced hour-long show unfolds its politically charged narrative using a mesmerising combination of dance, sound and technology. As the title suggests, the story involves manipulated video, and it plays out with strikingly visual trickery that includes green screens, camerawork, projections and inventive lighting. Meanwhile, the show makes important points relating to political subterfuge, asking salient questions about why the media feels increasingly untrustworthy.

Creators Jessica Wright and Morgann Runacre-Temple, aka Jess & Morgs, keep the tension high from the start, as we watch the Prime Minister (Kennedy Muntanga) preparing to be interviewed by TV journalist Katie (Rebecca Bassett-Graham) about a disastrous series of events the night before. Not only is there a videotape showing him in a state of undress, but he arrived suspiciously late to a state dinner, where he was disheveled and erratic. "Witnesses say you were drunk," Katie says. "No, the video is a fake," he replies.

Dialog (voiced by Habib Nasib Nader and Claire Goose) is mixed into the textured audio track, while the performers lipsync it with broad physical movements that often break out into full-on dance pieces. These include solos and duets, plus a range of elaborate group numbers accompanied by eight performers wearing green-screen bodysuits. One of these carries a handheld camera to capture striking angles on the action, often following performers backstage.

We watch all of this on a splintering array of screens. There's the live action on-stage, surrounded by bright green. And on a giant screen above, we can see the combined images, with backgrounds and even second or third versions of the PM as he puts another spin on his account ("I can't be in two places at once!"). The way these interact is mind-bogglingly complicated. And there are also jaw-dropping sections in which the performers interact with projections of themselves that are being shot live from other angles.

Intriguingly, the choreography is pointed and rather academic, never emotionally engaging. Instead, it reflects the push and pull between a politician and a journalist who have grown accustomed to doing this dance. The mix of modern choreo with ballet is playful, as one of the PM's excuses involves attending his daughter's dance recital. Re-enactments of various situations are riotously amusing, leading to a huge disco break in the final act. And through all of this, there's a driving search for the truth beneath the sound bites. 

For details, JESS & MORGS >

photos by Foteini Christofilopoulou • 1.Oct.26

Dance: Everybody shout ¡Olé!

Yllana
Flamenc Oh!!
direction David Ottone and Juan Ramos
artists David Bastidas, Raquel Ortega, Raúl Ortega, Anabel Moreno, Luis Gallo
choreography Carlos Chamorro • costumes Tatiana de Sarabia
set Carlos Brayda • lighting Juani González Vega
Peacock Theatre, London • 30.Sep-10.Oct.26 ★★★★

Those gifted, cheeky artists at Yllana (see also The Opera Locos) bring their lively and hugely entertaining homage to flamenco to London, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe. Of course, these performers are experts at the craft, dazzling the audience with their wonderful sense of rhythm and movement. But they are also having a lot of fun telling a silly story that has some serious kicks as it explores personal identity, family connections and legacy.

A voiceover paints a portrait of a flamenco family, with the imperious patriarch (David Bastidas) deploying his soaring voice while tapping the cane that symbolises his authority. His wife (Raquel Ortega) is a feisty dancer who rules the roost, while their son (Raúl Ortega) and daughter (Anabel Moreno) demonstrate seriously fancy footwork and armography. Both siblings hope to inherit the cane, and Dad needs to make a decision. He is clearly disappointed with his son, but his daughter is throwing herself at the steaming hot guitarist (Luis Gallo) who just strutted into their lives with his luscious locks of hair and shockingly modern musical sensibilities.

Within this soap opera, each character is a hilarious bundle of attitudes and personality quirks, adding amusing touches to even their most impressive displays of flamenco prowess. These are top-notch performers who continually wow us with their talents, even if the show is designed for entertainment rather than audacity. Ortega and Moreno get a chance to deliver stunning riffs of taconeo as the brother and sister battle for their parents' approval. And Gallo's astonishing guitar work is augmented by his character's riotously preening physicality.

There are also deeper themes that have something more profound to say about Spanish culture, such as how the father longs to explore his feminine side, but feels trapped in his machismo. Finally he takes the plunge and tries on a ruffly red gown, surprised that his wife embraces this. Watching them throw their trains around is thrilling, leaving us wanting much more of this. There's also a nice edge to the way the son seeks approval from his father, while the daughter refuses to settle for anything but the top spot.

Through all of this, modern music continually creeps in, with lovely riffs from standards like Summertime, Moon River and Beautiful, plus exhilarating renditions of Maniac and Purple Rain. Cultural touches include some romance, mysticism and even a bit of magical realism. There are also of course snapping castanets, swirling capes and a full-on boxing ring dance off for the cane. Characters continually flirt with the audience, which is frequently coaxed into clapping to the beat or shouting ¡Olé! And even if it's perhaps a little too crowd-pleasing, the barnstorming curtain call sends us out with a smile.

For details, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Pablo Lorente • 30.Sep.26

Critical Week: Winter's coming

Things are cranking up as the festival season begins to segue into awards season, so there are a lot of screenings in the diary these days for films that have made a mark somewhere but are yet to be released to general audiences. I caught up with one of the biggies this week, Cristian Mungiu's Palme d'Or winner Fjord, starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. It's a stunner - provocative and thoughtful as it explores religion and culture. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Naza • Digger • Knife
Child • Kikuyu Land
The Last First: Winter K2
ALL REVIEWS >

There was also the biopic Tenzing, tracing the life of the Sherpa who with Edmund Hillary achieved the first summit of Mt Everest. It's a beautifully made film, with terrific performances by Genden Phuntsok, Tom Hiddleston and Willem Dafoe. It was also nice to attend a reception with the cast and crew. Other films this week included the haunting thriller Child, a strikingly well-made film from Luxembourg, and the gently observant Spanish drama The Portuguese House. There were also a couple of docs: more mountaineering in the hugely involving The Last First: Winter K2 and the fascinating, important Kikuyu Land, exploring the legacy of colonialism in Kenya. I also saw live performances of Deepfake at Sadler's Wells East and Flamenc Oh!! at the Peacock theatre.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Mikey Madison in the sequel The Social Reckoning, Mahershala Ali in Your Mother Your Mother Your Mother, Mark Ruffalo in Being Heumann, Lesley Manville in Winter of the Crow, Ryusuke Hamaguchi's award-winning All of a Sudden, a French comedy titled Comédie Française and a live performance of Acosta Danza's Cuban Baroque.