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© Tristram Kenton
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© Tristram Kenton
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© Tristram Kenton
A solar, spirited and magnetic dancer, Akram Khan will be transforming the circular stage of TOHU into a shrine for legend. Performed on an amazing tree trunk stage set, he tells the tale of the princess Amba, who invokes the gods to seek revenge after being abducted from her betrothal ceremony and stripped of her honour. Two dancers and four musicians accompany him in this partial adaptation of poet Karthika Naïr’s book Until the Lions: Echoes from the Mahabharata, an original reworking of the Hindu epic Mahabharata. Once again he commingles kathak, a traditional Indian dance form, with contemporary dance, a distinctive feature of this choreographer. Feet, hands, face… The entire body is engaged in this virtuoso dance which combines flexibility, precision, speed, slowness, fluidity and absolute presence. Assisted by a team of veteran artists, Until the Lions offers a brilliant retelling of an age-old story.
“…this is a little firecracker of a show, one that really stays with you and grows in the memory.” − The Telegraph, London
ATTENTION: this show is presented at TOHU Cité des Arts du Cirque - 234, Jarry St. E, Montreal
Photo © Jean-Louis Fernandez
Akram Khan is one of the most celebrated and respected dance artists today. In the last 22 years he has created a body of work that has contributed significantly to the arts in the UK and abroad. His reputation has been built on the success of imaginative, highly accessible and relevant productions such as Jungle Book reimagined, Outwitting the Devil, XENOS, Until the Lions, Kaash, iTMOi (in the mind of igor), DESH, Vertica...
Read more about Akram KhanIn July 1999 in the foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, an animated and curiosity-filled conversation took place between the young gifted dancer/choreographer Akram Khan and an ambitious former dancer and just recently graduated arts manager Farooq Chaudhry. That conversation laid the foundation stone for a dynamic collaboration, culminating in the creation of Akram Khan Company one year later. Inspired by Akram Kh...
Read more about Akram Khan CompanyDirector, Choreographer, Performer Akram Khan. Narrative Concept, Scenario, Text Karthika Naïr. Visual Design Tim Yip. Lighting Design Michael Hulls. Original Music Score composed by Vincenzo Lamagna in collaboration with Sohini Alam, David Azurza, Yaron Engler, Akram Khan, Joy Alpuerto Ritter. Dramaturg Ruth Little. Assistant Director Sasha Milavic Davies. Assistant Choreographer Jose Agudo. Voice-over Kathryn Hunter. Dancers Akram Khan, Ching-Ying Chien, Joy Alpuerto Ritter. Musicians Sohini Alam, David Azurza, Yaron Engler, Joseph Ashwin. Producer Farooq Chaudhry. Technical Director Richard Fagan. Assistant Set Design & Technical Producer Sander Loonen. Technical Coordinator Peter Swikker. Stage Manager Marek Pomocki. Lighting Engineer Stéphane Déjours. Sound Engineer Julien Deloison. Technician Chris Clarke. Assistant to the Costume Designer & Costume Maker Peggy Housset. Model head designed and made by Blind Summit. Project Manager and Tour Manager Mashitah Omar.
This production is a partial adaptation of Until the Lions: choes from the Mahabharata, a retelling in verse of the Mahabharata by Karthika Naïr (HarperCollins India,2015 & Arc Publications UK, 2016).
Production initiated by the 360° Network of round arts venues across the world. Produced during residency at Sadler’s Wells London and Curve Leicester.
Co-produced by Roundhouse / Sadler’s Wells London, MC2: Grenoble, La Comète Châlons-en-Champagne, Théâtre de la Ville / La Villette Paris, Danse Danse / TOHU, Montréal, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, New Vision Arts Festival Hong Kong, Taipei Performing Arts Center, Movimentos Festwochen der Autostadt in Wolfsburg, Brighton Festival 2016, Maison de la Culture d’Amiens, Concertgebouw Brugge, Le Manège de Reims - Scène nationale, Holland Festival Amsterdam, Romaeuropa Festival, Curve Leicester.
Sponsored by COLAS.
Created with generous support from The Quercus Trust.
Supported by Arts Council England.
Akram Khan is an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells London and Curve Leicester.
Special thanks to Marcus Davey, Alistair Spalding, Nikolai Foster and Curve team, Philippe Bachman, Hervé Le Bouc, Sophie Sadeler, Béatrice Abeille-Robin, Lady Angela Bernstein, Mr. & Mrs. Khan, Yuko Khan, Saju Hari, Mavin Khoo, Ushma William, Siddhartha Bose, Jayne Stevens, Louisa Robey, Bethany Storie, Pei-Shan Su, Verona Rhamanan, Natalie Roberts.
Akram Khan gratefully acknowledges Akram Khan Company staff team–Lindsey Dear, Jan Hart, Richard Fagan, Mashitahm Omar, Céline Gaubert, Florian Stagliano, Clare Cody-Richardson, Christine Maupetit, Amy Sharkey, Hannah Patel.
