THE LOWRY, SALFORD – UNTIL 29TH JULY 2023
REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN
5*****
I grew up listening to Sting, as my dad was a huge fan. I have even been fortunate enough to see him live, back in 1994. I haven’t listened to his music in years, and I wasn’t sure I would remember any of the songs but as soon as Desert Rose came on, I found myself getting goosebumps and remembering the lyrics, I was captivated!
This musical is a hip-hop dance show, set to the backdrop of legendary artist Sting’s greatest hits. Now that may not seem the most obvious pairing, especially as that’s combined with a story line about refugees but directed and choreographed by Kate Prince makes it work wondrously. In a world where people are being displaced every day, Prince imagines a fictional story of a family fleeing from civil war in their homeland and undertake a perilous journey to safer shores. Along the way they lose another, and they must find their way on their own. There is darkness and despair but there is also a powerful message of survival, love and the overwhelming feeling of hope.
The Sting soundtrack does work. The clever use of his hits is certainly relevant, as music supervisor Alex Lacamoire links each Sting song to a situation. Directly relevant is Invisible Sun, written during the troubles and about surviving a war-torn place. While the majority are sung by Sting himself, there are some guest vocalists and some songs sound like classics and others have been altered completely.
Ben Stone’s set design combined with Natasha Chivers’ lighting has moments that really chill the body, like the scene when balaclava-clad henchmen step down from illuminated gaps and cross the stage like stalking panthers. Andrzej Goulding’s projections were perfectly timed to specific dance sequences and detailed, like the floating life jackets at sea.
But hands down it is the amazing dancers who steal the show, each and every one of them! They were flawless. The story is done through a hip-hop, ballet and contemporary dance journey. I watched in awe as they performed energetic, acrobatic and sometimes gravity defying moves. It was exhilarating, every little thing they did was magic!