East meets west in a beautiful performance that combines classical music and Chinese martial arts.
Returning to London after sold-out shows around the world, Sutra is only on until April 6 at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre in Islington, so you will have to be quick to catch it here, but it will be moving around the UK until the middle of May (see here for dates and location details).
This artful, graceful, and occasionally playful piece is one of the unique hours in a theatre you are likely to have all year. The simplicity of the stage design by Antony Gormley is stunningly effective, and the direction and choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui – who also acts as the lone European in the cast – is elegant and at times even humorous. One cannot forget the sad but heartfelt music by a wonderful group of Western musicians. Last but certainly not least, however, is the superb cast of athletic monks, straight from the real Shaolin Temple in China. It should also be mentioned that this is a non-verbal performance, so one need not worry about any language difficulties.
This artful, graceful, and occasionally playful piece will give you the most unique experience in the theatre you are likely to have all year.
It is clear to me now how much one can do with just some basic wooden boxes, which are the main props used in this show. They may remind you of Lego blocks as they are often stacked together to make different shapes, or perhaps coffins, when the monks lie down in them on more than one occasion. There is obviously some symbolism going on here, although it is not always clear what it is. Perhaps some familiarity with Buddhism would help (as the title and monks clearly point to). During one sequence in particular, the rectangular boxes are made to imply the shape of a lotus blossom, a key symbol in Buddhist philosophy. Cherkaoui’s box is the only one that stands out from the crowd as it is made of metal, unlike the others, which seems to distance him more from the group. At one, point, he literally falls off the stage (on purpose).
The main attraction here must be the Shaolin monks themselves, through, and in particular the young boy whose acrobatic skills are nothing short of incredible. The whole audience seemed to respond most whenever he appeared on stage, and it is safe to say that he practically steals the show.
I do not wish to say anymore at this point as Sutra is simply something that must be seen not described. Photos and video do not do it justice either. It is almost like watching a 3-D film of modern dance come to life. See it while you still can.
By Tim Holm
