Visually stunning, this latest production from the UK-based Akram Khan Company is one of the most thrilling and mesmerising works I have seen in a long time: weird, hypnotically powerful and wonderful.
This year is the 100th anniversary of the premiere of Igor Stravinsky and Vaslav Nijinsky’s world-shaking Rite of Spring. Khan (who does not perform in this work) uses only tiny snippets of the original score as a base to explore the idea of ‘The Chosen One’, the Outsider/Other versus the group and sacrifice.
iTMOi (in the mind of igor) features live musicians whose playing is closely integrated with recorded sound, to great effect. There are insistent rhythms from Nitin Sawhney that recall traditional Indian music, rather folksy contributions from Jocelyn Pook, and aggressively industrial walls of sound from Ben Frost that throb, hum and pulsate. The haunting and atmospheric lighting is equally marvellous.The extraordinary team of dancers Khan has assembled are technically amazing and tremendous performers. And yes, you can see Khan’s Kathak training influence in the choreography (as well as Butoh, shadow boxing and a possible breakdance influence – and Pilobolus, perhaps?). Some of the work is savage, fast and furious, yet in other sections it is exquisitely, hauntingly moving. The dancers are seemingly boneless yet have a laser sharp line and incredible energy.
After the powerful tones of a gong ring out, the opening is a strange, smoky monologue delivered by the tall and dark TJ Lowe, clad in a long brown coat. Biblical and Shakespearean quotes are included in a Deep South-style fire-and-brimstone preacher-style rant, in which his voice ranges from a growl to a whisper.
One of the dancers (Catherine Schaub Abkarian) has a stunning, chilling entrance in a Southern Belle crinoline-like outfit, topped off with a sensational hat. She is in white face, with one breast exposed. Does she represent Winter? An ice queen? A young girl in a white shift is chosen by Lowe and Abkarian and symbolically anointed with ashes. The others of the group attack her. Then a man in a long purple coat has a despairing solo as if saying ‘take me instead’.
There is a wonderful section full of visual puns where a man in a blue top and black skirt rolls around and upends himself, his legs like a growing plant. A mysterious, lithe, ibex-like creature (that presumably is meant to be satyr-like and represent Spring) stalks around; a threatening, frightening section occurs towards the end where one of the groups is tormented by the others with ropes.
The final section, an intimate, very sexy pas de deux, seemingly naked, (symbolising creation and primal urges?) with a golden ball like the sun was magnificent.
A challenging, captivating performance that left you breathless and stunned.
Rating: 4 ½ stars out of 5
In The Mind of Igor
Artistic director/choreographer: Akram Khan
Composers: Nitin Sawhney, Jocelyn Pook and Ben Frost
Costume designer: Kimie Nakano
Scenographer: Matt Deely
Dramaturg: Ruth Little
Researcher: Joel Jenkins
Materials devised and performed by Kristina Alleyne, Ching-Ying Chien, Sung Hoon Kim, Denis Kuhnert, Hannes Langalf, Yen-Ching Lin, Tj Lowe, Christine Joy Ritter, Catherine Schaub Abkarian and Nicola Monaco
Running time: one hour 15 mins (approx) no interval
Sydney Opera House
28 August – 1 September
