★★★★★

“every scene resonates with emotional clarity and artistic cohesion”

Step into the haunting beauty of Inside Giovanni’s Room, a full-length dance production by Phoenix Dance Theatre that is both visceral and achingly melancholic. Inspired by James Baldwin’s seminal novel, this performance is a masterful exploration of identity, longing, and repression, brought to life through powerful movement and evocative staging.

The dancers, deeply attuned to the emotional core of the story, deliver a breathtaking interpretation of David’s inner turmoil and fragmented desires. The choreography unspools like a confession, intimate and urgent, drawing the audience into the shadows of 1950s Paris, where love and shame collide.

A standout element of this production is its immersive use of lighting (Luke Haywood) and sound (music composition Marc Strobel). The stage becomes a psychological landscape, music swells like memory, while light casts long silhouettes that echo the characters’ internal battles. The interplay of shadow and form adds a poignant layer, underscoring the fragility of truth in a world bound by societal constraints.

Teige Bisnought delivers a deeply moving performance as David, embodying the character’s conflict with raw sensitivity. Dorna Ashory is equally compelling as Hella, David’s girlfriend, capturing the quiet ache of a love built on silence and misunderstanding.
The narrative, set against the backdrop of homophobia in mid-century Paris, unfolds with grace and urgency, never didactic, always human.

Special recognition goes to Marcus Jarrell Willis, artistic director of Phoenix Dance Theatre, whose visionary direction ensures every scene resonates with emotional clarity and artistic cohesion. Melissa Parry’s costume design is also remarkable, capturing the era with elegance and authenticity, while seamlessly supporting the physicality of the dancers.

Inside Giovanni’s Room is more than a performance, it’s a powerful meditation on identity, shame, and the universal desire to be seen and loved. A triumph in every sense.

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

Sadler’s Wells East

★★★★★

“pushes the boundaries of what is possible”

It is a story that we grew up reading and watching. We think we know it well. Therefore, we have no reason to be uncomfortable for what we are about to witness. But we soon slip out of this sense of security, as we realise we are in completely unchartered territory.

Snow White: The Sacrifice is a ballet twist on the classic fairy tale, but not the sort that you would tell your children before bedtime. It is a story of raw, unthinkable evil driven by bitterness and lust. In our story, the villain is the Queen, Snow White’s own mother. When Snow White reaches adulthood, the Queen feels she is ready to meet a new lover. But when this new King arrives at the palace, he only has eyes for the young princess. The Queen is enraged, which is where we see ‘the sacrifice.’ The Queen, played by Caroline Reece, is willing to sacrifice anything to convince herself she retains the loosest of connections to her youth. Reece brings so much depth to the role with a remarkable flexibility as she moves throughout her performance.

Like any good fairy tale, there is the damsel in distress. Virginia Scudeletti plays the titular character in a spellbinding performance. She powerfully maintains the tension despite being on stage for most of the show. Her all-white outfit evokes powerful imagery and reminds of her innocence in the face of such cruelty. The costume design (Nasir Mazhar and Libby El-Alfy) is a strength of the entire production. Masks allow characters to play characters. Ribbons add elegance but also signify the Queen’s desire to tighten control.

Perhaps, the most impressive ‘character’ is the centrepiece staircase that sits in the middle of the stage. The stairs allow the action to take place on multiple levels adding another dimension to the masterpiece. The case also hides many of the props and even characters that join scenes. This allows seamless transitions, accompanied by exceptional dance. Because of this, an astonishing fluidity is achieved, which could not have been done if so many performers had been waiting in the wings. This also means that the show makes exceptionally efficient use of such a large space, which could be hard to cover. Of course, credit must go to Liv Lorent (also artistic director for the show’s company, balletLORENT) for her outstanding direction and such creative choreography.

The voice that guides us through the experience is our narrator, Sarah Parish. Despite the grandeur of the performances on stage, we would be lost without the voice of the production. The retelling is descriptive but not excessively so, in a way that might distract. It is a fine balance between insufficient and overbearing that is achieved. It supports the dancers on stage whilst allowing the show to breathe its own life. Additional credit should go to Carol Ann Duffy (Scenario Writer) for this.

In fact, this balance could be said of the entire production. It pushes the boundaries of what is possible from such a retelling. It gives a lot to the audience, without asking too much of them. In an orchestra of possibilities, it always finds the right note.

INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM

Sadler’s Wells East

★★★★★

“every scene resonates with emotional clarity and artistic cohesion”

INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM

Sadler’s Wells East

Reviewed on 11th June 2025

by Beatrice Morandi

Photography by Drew Forsyth

Last ten shows reviewed at Sadler’s Wells venues:

INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM

INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM

INSIDE GIOVANNI’S ROOM

SNOW WHITE: THE SACRIFICE

Sadler’s Wells East

★★★★★

“pushes the boundaries of what is possible”