AUTOBIOGRAPHY (V95 & V96) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★

“Autobiography’s saviours are its dancers who are technically talented with unmitigated enthusiasm.”

Self, Life, Writing. The essence of the word Autobiography and a reflection of how Wayne McGregor sees the world, breaking it down to its core components. Autobiography was first performed in 2017 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Company Wayne McGregor. Conceived in collaboration with the dancers of the company, and inspired by the experiences, influences and ephemera of McGregor’s life, the structure of the piece is then left up to the power of ‘the algorithm’, of which more later. Now some five years or so since it was first performed, in the company’s 30th year, it’s back on stage at Sadler’s Wells, albeit in a slightly different formation.

Chapters of self contained meaning are numbered but performed out of sequence. Only chapters 1 and 23 are positioned at the same point in each performance – at the opening and closing. The significance of 23 is in its relation to the number of pairs of chromosomes in DNA, one of the most basic units of human existence. Serendipitously, 23 is also the age Wayne was when he started the company, adding a further autobiographical significance to the piece. The order in which each audience will experience the chapters is determined by an “algorithm based on McGregor’s genetic code”, dramaturg Uzma Hameed tells us in the programme. This algorithm may also select which dancers take on which roles. The ambitions are lofty and likely technically complex – but altogether opaque and probably unnecessary. A random number generator to choose the sequence would likely do the same job as an algorithm based on the sequencing of McGregor’s DNA.

And in terms of the substance of the performance – it wasn’t easy to like. In fact part way through I wondered whether the choice not to have an interval was to stop people leaving the auditorium never to return.

Now don’t get me wrong – I am always down for a bit of techno music and don’t believe dance should always be aesthetically harmonious. But some of the pieces were really challenging to endure. This was largely due to the, at times deafening, soundtrack by Jlin. Her roots in America’s rust belt are abundantly clear from the pulsating bass and breakbeats, reflecting McGregor’s choreographic style. When more melodic, there are real moments of beauty. But at the point high-pitched screams overlaid the bassline the soundtrack really wore thin.

It wasn’t always saved by the choreography. All solos, duets and trios were interesting and pleasant to watch, notwithstanding the oppressive soundtrack. But some of the pieces featuring the full company lacked cohesion. One piece in particular early on in v95 (likely to appear at a different point in other versions) lacked any unifying motif whatsoever. It appeared like an audition room with each dancer attempting to show their best moves and catch the attention of the casting director. Maybe this was the intention, given the autobiographical nature of the piece, but it felt too simplistic an interpretation for McGregor.

Autobiography’s saviours are its dancers who are technically talented with unmitigated enthusiasm. Only two of the original cast are still part of the company and they are easy to spot. The maturity is evident in Rebecca Bassett-Graham, not just from her fiercely cropped shock of white blonde hair but also from the strength and power portrayed in her movement. There’s also Jordan James Bridge, whose distinctive style stands out in a solo moment. The majority of the company are fresh talent – with just over half having joined in 2023 and all delivering stand out moments. Jasiah Marshall has a particular presence – opening the performance dominating the starkly designed and lit stage (Ben Cullen Williams and Lucy Carter) with broken lines and a chest so puffed it too looked like it might snap.

Autobiography might not be the most enjoyable watch. But as a capsule of the core elements of Wayne McGregor’s practice: a fascination with science and technology; a collaborative approach with his dancers; and a disciplined minimalism to choreography, costume and set, it’s an ambitious yet not self indulgent project.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY (V95 & V96) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

Reviewed on 12th March 2024

by Amber Woodward

Photography by Andrej Uspenski

Previously reviewed at this venue:

NELKEN | ★★★★★ | February 2024

LOVETRAIN2020 | ★★★★ | November 2023

ALVIN AILEY AMERICAN DANCE THEATER AT 65 | ★★★★★ | September 2023

DANCE ME | ★★★★★ | February 2023

BREAKIN’ CONVENTION 2021 | ★★★★★ | July 2021

WILD CARD | ★★★★ | June 2021

OVERFLOW | ★★★★★ | May 2021

REUNION | ★★★★★ | May 2021

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

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★★★★

“an energetic and stylish play that could easily become a classic”

Adapted by esteemed British playwright Roy Williams, The Lonely Londoners at the Jermyn Street Theatre is the first staging of British-Trinidadian Sam Selvon’s 1956 novel. It’s somewhat surprising that the material hasn’t been adapted before, given the popularity of Windrush stories like Andrea Levy’s Small Island, adapted for the small screen in 2009 and staged at the National Theatre in 2019. That being said, it’s a pleasure to see the material in Williams’ hands with a script full of clever dialogue and a plot that, through the exploration of individual stories, allows for variety and nuance that creates a sophisticated, textural piece.

The drama centres around Moses Aloetta, Gamba Cole, a charismatic and well-connected Caribbean emigré with a cigarette surgically attached to his hand as he and his friends try to make their way in London. We meet the happy-go-lucky Big City, Gilbert Kyem Jnr, full of malapropisms based on London’s streets and boroughs, eager to put on a dance for the community. There’s Lewis, Tobi Bakare, recently out of work and worried about the arrival of his wife Agnes, Shannon Hayes, and mother, Carol Moses. And finally Henry ‘Galahad’ Oliver, fresh off the boat train with nothing but his pyjamas and toothbrush ready to take London by storm. Moses connects and grounds the group but is haunted by the image of the love he left behind in Trinidad. As the group gain experience of the city and its aggressive inhabitants, fear creeps in that this could all end in ruin. Fortunately, whilst the end does indeed bring sadness for some, it is not wholly an unhappy ending.

Performances from the whole cast are impeccable, each demonstrating an impressive emotional range in under two hours. The men are all degrees of cheeky and charming, lost and lonesome, and aggressive and angry. The women display similar range, gleeful at their small triumphs and despairing of the challenges they face. This is perhaps most dramatically exemplified by Romario Simpson as Galahad as we see his realisation from wide-eyed new arrival to a literally battered and bruised shell – his monologue denouncing the English for their unchecked racism is a powerful performance. It’s also worth praising the authentic Caribbean accents, coached to perfection by Aundrea Fudge.

There are, however, some odd directorial choices which break the drama. The dialogue is so rich that there are no ambiguities – these characters are talking from the heart at all times and we understand their fears, hopes and frustrations through what they say. Director Ebenezer Bamgboye’s choice to also include elements of physical theatre to show, for example, how the men support each other when the going gets tough is not necessary; we have already heard it.

On the other hand, the inclusion of contemporary music of black origin throughout the piece (Protoje’s ‘Who Knows’ beautifully sung live by Aimee Powell, a couple of Michael Kiwanuka tracks and more) subtly reminds you that, whilst this is a historical drama, the themes and experiences portrayed are, unfortunately, not resigned to history books.

Lighting by Elliot Griggs enhances the drama – whether through slow fade-ins that subtly draw your attention across the stage away from the action, or through dramatic bursts of light that ignite a fight. There is also clever use of flash bulbs on the back of the stage which are programmed to situate scenes by their postcodes, or show a graphic image which add fun and interest to the studio theatre.

The Lonely Londoners is an energetic and stylish play that could easily become a classic just like its source material. Although speaking to a specific moment in time, it’s themes of migration, racism and isolation resonate across the years. But it is the hopeful message of friendship and resilience, particularly through humour, that set this show apart and make it an enjoyable as well as educational watch.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY (V95 & V96) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

★★★

“Autobiography’s saviours are its dancers who are technically talented with unmitigated enthusiasm.”

AUTOBIOGRAPHY (V95 & V96) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

Reviewed on 12th March 2024

by Amber Woodward

Photography by Andrej Uspenski

Previously reviewed at this venue:

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

AUTOBIOGRAPHY

THE LONELY LONDONERS at Jermyn Street Theatre

★★★★

“an energetic and stylish play that could easily become a classic”

THE LONELY LONDONERS at Jermyn Street Theatre

Reviewed on 5th March 2024

by Amber Woodward

Photography by Alex Brenner

Previously reviewed at this venue:

THE LONELY LONDONERS

THE LONELY LONDONERS