For everyone who loved the television series, there is now an opportunity to see a dance version of Tommy Shelby's journey from the trenches of WWI to the criminal underground of Birmingham. Peaky Blinders, the TV production, stretched across six seasons and had thirty-six episodes, so this is certainly an epic tale. Wisely, Rambert Dance has decided to focus on what is billed as a prequel to that story. Nevertheless, it is the narrative aspect of this dance drama that is probably the least satisfying. The narration intoned by series regular Benjamin Zephaniah seems superfluous, and its introduction of so many characters who are underdeveloped will probably prove simply confusing for the uninitiated. Indeed, the personalities of Tommy's psycho brother, Arthur, and his pugnacious Aunt Polly never really manage to establish themselves, and the love story with Grace ultimately doesn't generate the necessary chemistry. The strongest part of the Rambert Dance version is its evocation of Thomas Shelby's world: the battles, the brawls and the clandestine haunts of criminals. As Tommy, Conor Kerrigan is mesmerising in his solo at the opening of Act II which is followed by a powerful pas de deux. Both of these moments are highpoints of the show, and they, plus the imaginative rendering of Tommy's experience in the opium den, are quite unforgettable. The strength of these occasions comes from the fact that, unlike at too many other points during the show, the focal point is clear. At various other junctures, there is simply too much going on, and the choreography seems unnecessarily busy. Even in the opium den sequence the introduction of the women in the golden haloes seems redundant. The use of the music from the original show including Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Red Right Hand" is wonderfully emotive, and the athletic virtuosity we have come to expect from a Rambert production is abundant, but this production might leave both the fans of the dance company and devotees of the television series somewhat dissatisfied.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by © Beatrice Livet
When, Where, Getting there:
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