The Bite Magazine - Autumn/Winter 2023 - Issue 34

Lisa Ogun’ attended the ‘Message In A Bottle’ performance at The Peacock Theatre and was wowed enough to vote it in her top three favourite dance performances of all time! bitetheatre W ith the word-on-the-street being a dance musical to former Po- lice frontman and solo artist Sting’s music, I attended ‘Message In A Bottle’ with anticipation. I love his music, but a full contem- porary dance performance based on his songs at the renowned Peacock Theatre in London? Well, I truly wish you had been there with me! Performed by 19 dancers from Zoo Nation: The Kate Prince Company, I observed an astounding performance. I could see longevity, much like other open-ended run productions. Having previously witnessed Zoo Nation’s fantastic talent, I was excited. Zoo Nation addresses themselves as "groundbreaking storytellers creating original music and dance to inspire the next generation of theatregoers and makers.” 'Message In A Bottle' indeed testified to this sentimental statement. The London show, which ran for two weeks in October, embarked on an ensuing international tour that included Sydney, Australia, the Netherlands, and ten stops in North America. In May 2024, a made-for-film adaptation of ‘Message In A Bot- tle’ will be released in UK cinemas in partnership with the Royal Opera House. As such, I will only divulge a little of the story in this feature as I implore you to watch the film version next year as a must-see compromise to missing this excellent production this autumn. Following the journey of three siblings forced to immigrate from their homeland and face tribulations that only humans and nature present, this was an energetic, and yet at times eloquent, poignant story told by dance, echoing the reality of today where forced displacement and refuge-seeking from conflict and persecution is common- place. With one of human basic needs being home and security, it still hits hard that this life-impacting, and at times tragic, occurrence is ever present in our societies, having a vast many thousands lay victim to. M essage I n A B ottle