Writer and Choreographer: Romain Rachline Borgeaud
Since premiering in France in 2019, Stories has grown into an award-winning international dance hit, wowing audiences around the world. Billed as ‘The Tap Dance Sensation’, it has a lot to admire, and at its heart is creative polymath Romain Rachline Borgeaud who, as well as writing, producing, composing, choreographing and directing, has also danced the lead in earlier productions.
It blends an intoxicating mix of contemporary R&B and jazz-influenced music with film noir visuals to tell the tale of Icarus, a famous actor who falls into a murky world of underground gambling, mob bosses and murder, all while under the Svengali-like influence of his latest film’s director.
The story is an interesting framing device, and it gives Borgeaud a solid foundation for his choreography. That said, it feels overly convoluted, flipping between the film set and real life with little signal of which is which, so the line between what is real and what is not becomes blurred. The ending, which simply stops without any clarity or resolution, leaves more questions than answers.
The choreography brings a different kind of conflict. Borgeaud blends a range of dance styles, notably urban tap, jazz and elements of hip hop, to create a thoroughly exciting and visually stimulating world. However, anyone drawn in by the show’s tap dance billing may well feel short-changed. Yes, there is tap in the show, but it is used mainly in set pieces that act as tentpoles, with the narrative largely carried by other dance styles in between.
The prodigious Thiméo Garin is exceptional as the naive and manipulated Icarus, and he is more than matched by the ensemble cast. There is no denying the dance talent on display, but it is Federica Mugnai’s set and Alex Hardellet’s lighting that really lift the production. Mugnai’s deceptively simple modular set almost becomes a character in its own right, its elements pushed and pulled gracefully around the stage in choreographed movements that turn it from film set to street to gambling den and more. Hardellet’s lighting, meanwhile, plays with darkness as much as light, framing the unfolding action, building tension and drawing the audience into the film noir world of the piece.
Stories is a visual and aural delight, with some genuinely standout dance numbers. A confused and disjointed storyline, together with a heavier emphasis on hip hop and jazz than the billing suggests, could leave some disappointed. But forget the story, accept that tap is one part of a wider spectrum of dance styles, simply go with the flow, and you will be in for a real treat.
Runs until 31 October 2026
