Brilliant dancing, exemplary imagery… just a shame about the lack of depth. Message in a Bottle is a new dance show by Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK productions based on the songs of Music artist Sting. Currently, on a small UK & International Tour, this production gives new life and meaning to Sting’s iconic music.
This production highlights the modern issue of forcible displacement, as we follow the story of a family who are made to leave their homeland and undertake the perilous journey to safer shores. On their journey, they are all separated and must learn to persevere alone. The audience are gripped from beginning to end; with some weeping along with audible gasps throughout.
I really want to rave about this show and tell everyone how much I enjoyed it, but I can’t. A disappointment, in all honesty, the perfect choreography was a feast for the eyes from beginning to end. The energy from the performers was something that I did not know could be achieved and the technique to go with it was faultless; paired with perfect timing across the ensemble. With the addition of amazing lighting design and projection mapping covering the unique stage stunningly framed the Lyric stage at Theatre Royal Plymouth. Kate Price (Director & Choreographer), Andrzej Goulding (Video designer) and Natasha Chivers (Lighting Designer) are all at the top of their game in this production.
This created the perfect bottle, beautifully crafted, and decorated with intricate detail. However, there must have been a small crack or a loose lid as the message had been smudged by the choppy seas. Once ridden the wave of this production I left indifferent, the story is lacking depth and emotion failing to let anything land before it moves onto the next plot point. It was difficult to know if they wanted to tell this story or just wanted to use Stings music as the emotion of the music and dance contrasted. Although I very much enjoyed the amazing routines it was as though it was a compilation of Kate Price’s best work all set to Sting’s music, it just missed the string pulling the meaning into line.
Not for me this one, unfortunately, as much as I would have loved it to be. This message got lost on me and maybe I was the only one in the auditorium that got lost along the way. A clearer message or just clarifying the one that was there could have put this production on the same level as the likes of Peaky Blinders. It certainly won’t be one I remember but I have found an appreciation for Kate Price and certainly will be looking out for their future work.
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