Where possible, I attend new work with as little knowledge of it as possible. So to me, Aakash Odedra’s ‘Songs of the Bulbul’ was about a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, rejoicing in the dawn of its life, before being attacked by some evil sticky sticks, getting progressively more stuck, dying, and going to dance in heaven.
Honestly, I wasn’t too far from the show’s literary and religious underpinnings, which I think is a testament to the production’s inherent storytelling.
The first 30 minutes of this production, choreographed by Rani Khanam and performed by a magnificent Aakash Odedra, counts amongst the most awe-inspiring dance experiences I have witnessed. The stage, strewn with vibrant rose petals comes alive as Odedra swirls amongst them, his flowing robe mustering momentary tornadoes. Rushil Ranjan’s orchestral soundtrack hits you in the heart, as does the unbridled joy being played out on the Lyceum’s intimate stage. It’s spine-tingling stuff, spine-tingling!
There’s a graceful fury to every move, steeped in classical Sufi Kathak dance, but laced with a wild, accessible romanticism. With clever, sometimes percussive feet, and elegant, purposeful arm movements, Odedra is impossible to look away from. Fabiana Piccioli‘s evocative spotlights and more, only add to this magnetic quality.
Then the evil sticks drop and things take a turn for the worse. I now know that these represent the bars of a cage closing around a wild Bulbul bird. In Sufi tradition, these birds are symbols of natural beauty and religious enlightenment. Otherwise, my interpretation was correct, I think we can all agree.
The allegories to the human condition are clear, of course, and as Odedra’s movement slips into the frantic and restrained it’s easy to see the gradual imposition of social barriers and old age. There are still flashes of joy and moments of defiant beauty, but death comes to us all.
However, choosing not to send the audience home despairing, ‘Songs of the Bulbul’ finds a meditative and inspiring finale (plus one truly neat visual effect.)
If there are tickets available today, I would heartily recommend going along. Images of the jubilant opening dance amidst the petals will stay with you for a long, long time.
Show Details
Venue: The Lyceum, The Lyceum
Dates: Fri 09 Aug at 20:00; Sat 10 Aug at 20:00; Sun 11 Aug at 15:00; Sun 11 Aug at 20:00
Running Time: Approximately 1 hour (No interval)
Price: From £12
Accessibility
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