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★★★
One of my favourite things about the Marlowe Theatre is how varied the programme is from each season to the next, covering a multitude of artistic genres. From musicals to dramas and dance to comedy, there is something for every theatrical taste in the schedule. The venue is currently fully immersed in its Autumn season which rather excitingly features Lagos-based The QDance Company, who are making their UK premiere with ‘Re:INCARNATION’ at various theatres across the country. Performing at the Marlowe for two days this week, the show combines dance, live music and spoken word and has been described as “an ode to the richness of Nigerian culture”. I had the opportunity to review the Dance Consortium-produced show on Tuesday on its opening night here in Canterbury.
Structure and format
Constructed as a triptych, the production covers themes of birth, death and rebirth, with the material being almost spiritual and ethereal in nature. It is conceptual and leaves the interpretation up to the audience, but that being said there are clear visual differences between the three segments. It lacks a traditional, linear narrative per se and instead is more cyclic, focusing on motion and movement over a storyline. However, each section starts with the projection of a dictionary definition onto the stage, which helps provide insight into the themes. The whole piece runs for 1 hour 30 minutes without an interval and brief musical interludes allow the performance to continue flowing during the tonal changes.
Choreography and interpretation
Founder/Artistic Director Qudus Onikeku’s choreography is enchanting, focusing more on shape and form than specific sequences and allowing the dancers’ bodies to really be at one with the musical compositions. It is captivating, none more so than in the group sections, where you get to witness the morphing of the dancers into collective figures and shapes. Outside of the beauty of the movements and the company’s incredible sense of musicality, even with the dictionary cues, I struggled to grasp the wider meaning of the dance steps. The abstract style of dance draws the audience in and the intentional ambiguity around the symbolism and interpretation is admirable, but as a piece of dance theatre, it could have benefitted from more clarity in the overall meaning of the choreography. Interestingly, the post-show talk that the theatre organised cleared a lot of this up for me, so perhaps the company could provide more context upfront, aiding audiences in their understanding of The QDance Company’s work.
Atmosphere and impact
What is unrivalled is the atmosphere created on stage. From the variety in lighting styles which cleverly accentuate the movements (Michel Abdallah) to the dynamic live music, this is a dance production that has really thought about the overall theatrical experience. Simeon Promise Lawrence and Daniel Ifeanyi Anumudu take audiences on a musical journey thanks to Olatunde Obajeun’s music, supporting the energy of the dancers.
Overall thoughts
The show offers a deeply emotive evening of dance theatre courtesy of the Lagos-based dance company, with the lighting design being the stand out element of ‘Re:INCARNATION’. Michel Abdallah’s creative choices have a significant impact on the overall tone and feel of the work. In terms of the future, I would like to see Qudus Onikeku create a whole production in the style of the ‘Birth’ segment. The warm and celebratory undertones of this section offer some much-needed respite through the medium of dance and I found myself wanting to see more of this within the performance.
Although, during the post-show talk I found out about the company’s personal journey with the work, which helps justify the elements of darkness in the piece. After hearing this, the spiritual side took on even more weight, making me see the latter parts in an entirely different light. Thank goodness theatres like the Marlowe offer these additional events to spectators, helping to provide more information about the creative decision making and process. The show has now finished its limited run in Canterbury, but The QDance Company continues to tour the UK until Saturday 19th October. You can find out more about future performances via the Dance Consortium website.
Love Kat xxxx
*My ticket for ‘The QDance Company Re:INCARNATION’ was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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