Hull New Theatre – 7th April 2023
Reviewed by Dawn Bennett
5*****
Dada Masilo’s The Sacrifice was performed at Hull New Theatre last night. Inspired by Pina Bausch’s the Rite of Spring and Igor Stravinsky’s score.
The all-South African cast were magnificent in their portrayal of the struggle of the sacrificial victim which was danced by Dada Masilo.
The production is a mixture of contemporary and traditional Tswana dance. The movement made by the dancers was so moving and powerful accompanied by musicians Leroy Mapholo, Mpho Mothiba and Nathi Shongwe, who were brilliant and who had composed the original score. Ann Masina (an opera and gospel choir singer) was such a magnificent singer. I would run out of superlatives to describe her voice and powerful stage presence. Her part as the mother who sacrificed her daughter was heartbreaking at times and you could hear a pin drop in the theatre.
The set was plain with bare trees as the backdrop and the musicians were on stage interacting with dancers, there was sometimes music, sometimes clapping, stamping of feet and signing which accompanied the dancers as they told the story of ritual, atonement and ritual.
All the cast of this amazing production seemed to dance as one. From the joyous rhythms to the deeply moving sacrifice. There were whole cast numbers, duets and solos and all the time they captured the audience’s attention. Dada’s magnificent chorography was something to be seen and simple stunning and her dancing was heartfelt.
We were also treated to a Q and A after the performance with Dada, Lerory Mapholo (musician) and Tshepo Zasekhaya (dancer) hosted brilliantly by Darren Lethem. The questions were asked by some of the very knowledgeable audience and allowed the cast to explain the dance in more detail.
I would thoroughly recommend this glorious piece of dance theatre.