Choreographer Vicki Igbokwe is best known for recreating her experience of New York nightclubs in immersive dance performances. That late-night milieu might seem a long way from a Christmas fairytale kids’ show, but many of the same elements appear in her first children’s outing, Hansel and Gretel.
This Grimm brothers’ remake is filled with the full-bodied movement and bold shapes of African dance, the bounce and jacking bodies of house, and a few waacking arms swiping their stylish semaphore. And then there’s the music: deep house and Afrobeats by composer Kweku Aacht – clubby not kiddy. I’m not the only one bopping quietly in my seat.
Igbokwe is imaginative in her treatment of the story. Hansel and Gretel (the indefatigable and ever-smiling Marc Stevenson and Mayowa Ogunnaike) are lone refugees from an unnamed African country, landed in London. Separated by the system from a friendly fellow immigrant called Wasi (Esme Benjamin) who cared for them en route, they repeatedly try to find their way back to her, following a trail of memorable sights and smells – rather than breadcrumbs – through the city.
That’s an adult theme but it’s treated lightly, food for the grown-ups in a piece that is frequently focused on younger children with its games of peekaboo and hide-and-seek. This show has warmth, energy and a very likable cast of four, but there are definite problems with tone and pace.
It feels as though Igbokwe is torn between making a literal narrative and something more poetic. Narration and script are delivered via voiceover, which sometimes works very well, but can also leave a bit of a disconnect with the performers. The main issue is that the story doesn’t build its arc strongly enough; the climax – an encounter with a stranger bearing sweets – and the ending are both underwhelming.
It’s great to see Igbokwe’s distinctive style made for an all-ages audience, the dancing’s cool and there’s a positive message about courage, resourcefulness and sticking together, but she needs to nail the nuts and bolts of storytelling to let the joy of the movement sing.
At the Place, London, until 24 December. Then touring
