Music and Lyrics: Sting
Director and Choreographer: Kate Prince
There are few things more powerful in art than a story told perfectly without words. Every beat of the plot of Message In A Bottle, every nuanced emotion, is as clear as if it were written on the page.
A hip-hop dance show about the plight of refugees set to the music of Sting does, admittedly, sound like an idea created by a random performance generator. However, any doubts are erased seconds into the show. This is pure genius.
Inspired by Desert Rose, Sting’s duet with Algerian singer Cheb Mami, the production tells the story of a family whose idyllic community is torn apart after coming under attack.
Three displaced siblings set off on an incredibly dangerous journey to try and find safety. Loss and separation force them to navigate the cruel, strange world on their own but, somehow, they always have each other. They always have hope.
ZooNation, the company founded by celebrated and award-winning choreographer Kate Prince, celebrated its 20th anniversary last year. So it is no surprise that the moves are flawless. Spectacular leaps fold beautifully into achingly stunning twists and turns.
The company moves as one with a level of infectious energy that is off the charts. However, each performer is also afforded the space to showcase their individuality, a decision that imbues personality and emotion into every step.
For the most part, the Sting songs really work. The kind of true love that takes your breath away is perfectly realised with the help of Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da is made for the feeling of being lost in a strange land and Fields Of Gold is heartbreakingly revived.
Music supervisor Alex Lacamoire has clearly worked incredibly hard to weave the songs into the story and choreography. He has also created some gorgeous new arrangements for the show.
Perhaps it is the current news agenda, but one sequence on a boat, as Inshallah plays, is so tragic it is impossible to fight the tears.
There are moments where the marriage of lyric and narrative feels a little on the nose. Arguably too literal, a little cliched. But these are minor, fleeting distractions.
From the opening moments, where the show’s title is washed away like sand from the downstage backdrop, it is clear there will be much more than a reliance on the dancing and music.
The set, lighting, and video designs are truly spectacular. All three come together superbly in two sequences in particular, one where a character is wracked by PTSD and another where one of the leads dances with his silhouette.
Director Kate Prince may have packed Message In A Bottle with theatrical tricks but her dancers remain the stars of the show. It is impossible to pick out performances. As the joyous curtain call proves, every member of the company is outstanding.
The premise might sound divisive but the delivery is anything but. This is an inclusive, perfectly-told story. Brimming with authenticity, joy, drama, and hope.
Runs until 29 July 2023