Message in a Bottle: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
4th July 2023
★★★★★
Message in a Bottle premiered in 2020 to much acclaim but was cut short due to the pandemic. Now the original piece by triple Olivier Award nominee Kate Prince MBE is back and is touring the country. Featuring iconic hits by Sting, including Roxanne, Fields of Gold and Every Breath You Take, this dance spectacular is strong and passionate, yet emotive and sensitive at the same time. It tells the story of three refugee siblings, Leto, Mati and Tana, who must embark on perilous journeys in order to survive – it is a story of humanity and hope.
Kate Prince is no stranger to this style of dance storytelling – her original musical Slyvia has recently finished a hugely successful run at the Old Vic in London. ZooNation Dance Company have been impressing audiences for over 10 years. Prince’s innovative style of choreography is showcased in this production by an outstanding cast. It’s a fusion of styles, predominately contemporary and hip hop, with each style complimenting each other whilst at all times being fundamental to the story. The company work excellently in unison and the choreography allows for individual performers to shine and utilise their skills and talents. Message in a Bottle is full of high-energy footwork, exhilarating dance styles and breath-taking athleticism. Every moment and movement is thought about and executed with precision by the cast. More than just a dance show; it’s a story told through dance.
The much loved and well-known music by Sting is both poignant and meaningful. The lyrics aid the performance and, despite the age of the songs, are still very relevant. The use of real situations, including displacement, immigration and survival, mixed with the ‘fantasy’ world which is created in the show works really well and makes it more relatable. Martin Terefe and Alex Lacamoire’s clever arrangements of Sting’s songs bring new life to them and the music forms much more than just a backdrop.
Each and every member of the cast performs with passion, commitment and undeniable talent. More than just dancers, they are storytellers. Hardly leaving the stage, the cast perform the complex and technical choreography with ease and seemingly never-ending energy. Hannah Sandilands is superb throughout portraying the emotion of the youngest sibling effortlessly. Deavion Brown is mesmerising, a particular highlight being the inclusion of a fantastic same-sex pairing sequence which was performed beautifully. Nafisah Baba’s gorgeous lines and ballet style adds a different twist into the usual hip hop, break dance style of ZooNation and Lukas McFarlane’s emotion and skill through the second half, in particular, is stunning. Each and every dancer is important and valued and it is clear from their performance that they are committed, passionate and dance from the heart.
The simple set, by Ben Stones, is used effectively throughout with the action with the entire stage being used. The lighting, by Natasha Chivers, is sublime. Aiding the story and emotion completely; the lighting compliments and works alongside the music and choreography to add tension, drama and atmosphere and make a truly emotive piece of theatre. The video projections by Andrzej Goulding are also very effective and their simplicity combined with the dark images portrayed make the show more poignant and even menacing in places.
Message in a Bottle manages to blur the lines between musical, play and dance. This is storytelling at its best. The cast are outstanding and give every inch of themselves on stage. With stunning, innovative and emotive choreography and a well-known and yet fresh score, Message in a Bottle is definitely not one to be missed!
Message in a Bottle continues to play at Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury until the 8th July before continuing on its international tour. A filmed version of the show will also debut in May 2024. For more information click here. To purchase tickets for the production at the Marlowe Theatre click here.
Photo Credit: Lynn Theisen
Musical Manda 
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