Message In A Bottle, Sadler's Wells at The Peacock Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until March 21, 2020

Photographer: Helen Maybanks.

Message In A Bottle uses the music of Sting to tell the story of a family displaced from their country by war. Forced to become refugees they face the perils of a sea journey and incarceration before they can take up a new life. The narrative which follows the lives of the parents and their three children is both poignant and riveting. All of this is set to some wonderfully familiar and emotive music. Over twenty of Sting's songs are incorporated into the story. Sometimes this works beautifully and sometimes it feels a little forced, but the extraordinary dancing leaves no time to dwell on this detail. Kate Prince's choreography brings the absolute best out of her dancers with some wonderfully innovative movement that seamlessly flows through a variety of dance forms. Ben Stones' set, Andrzej Goulding's video design and Natasha Chivers' lighting create a wonderfully evocative atmosphere without ever overwhelming the dancing. Lukas McFarlane as Leto, Tommy Franzen as Mati and Natasha Gooden as Tana were all amazing. They beautifully conveyed their characters while always staying within their stories. Gooden hit a wonderful balance of strength and vulnerability and McFarlane's work with Nafisah Baba was a delight. Franzen simply commanded the stage whenever he was on it. Indeed, all of the cast contributed to making this a quite wonderful evening of dance and drama. Bravo ZooNation!

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

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 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until March 21, 2020
Tue - Sat: 7:30 pm
Sat: 2:30 pm, Sun: 2 pm & 6:30 pm
Sadler's Wells at The Peacock Theatre
Nearest tube: Holborn
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/2020/message-in-a-bottle/
Map & Location: Portugal St, Holborn, London WC2A 2HT, UK

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