Free Your Mind

Photography & Article SHOKIRIE CLARKE

The Hip Hop Theatre production that officially opened Manchester's new ground breaking cultural venue ‘Aviva Studios’, home to Factory International.

'Free Your Mind’ officially ran from October 18, 2023, to November 5, 2023, as a Hip Hop Theatre production. It was choreographed and composed by Boy Blue’s Kenrick Sandy and Mikey J, reimagining the Matrix through an unprecedented collaboration with the very best in film, fashion, and design. The production was directed by Bafta award-winning director Danny Boyle, with stage design by Olivier award-winning artist Es Devlin, costumes by renowned fashion designer Gareth Pugh, and words written by the acclaimed writer Sabrina Mahfouz.

Fortunately, I had the opportunity to watch the live show twice: the first dress run on stage in front of the FI staff, friends and family, and the press launch on October 18, 2023. During the press launch, an evening event was hosted, extending invitations to some of the most prolific local artists, along with friends and collaborators of the company and Boy Blue. In the weeks leading up to the event, you could hardly take a step in Manchester without encountering a poster announcing the world premiere of the show and the official opening of Factory International's new £240 million state-of-the-art home, 'Aviva Studios.' Although seeing dancers whom I grew up training with every 100 metres provided insight into the scale of the production and the backing behind it, nothing quite hammered it home like the press launch itself.

Kano (left) with Richard Asante and Michael ‘Mikey J’ Asante (right)

Rehearsal director Nathaniel Jones (left) with Kenrick Sandy (right)

When it was time for the show to start, we were led in by the White Rabbits - a reference to the Matrix for anyone who somehow hasn’t watched at least one of the films (I say this hypocritically as I watched for the first time shortly before the first show, but I digress). The show was split into two halves; the first half was seated, while the second was divided on either side of a runway. This division was determined by the colour of a wristband given to you before the show, either red or blue. Although I wanted to ensure I saw the show from both sides and was pleased to be given the alternate wristband on the night of the press launch, the side you were on didn’t have the greatest bearing on your experience, as it was relatively the same, just from a different angle (though keep in mind I was also frantically switching between photo and video on my camera to capture these moments, so I may have missed things).

Ian Harris as Alan Turing

The first half was opened by Ian Harris, a local dancer originally from Ireland, portraying Alan Turing. While Turing wasn’t a character in the Matrix films, as a University of Manchester graduate, I immediately recognized his relevance. Turing, commonly known as the 'father of computing,' conducted groundbreaking work at the university after World War II, earning him a building on campus named after him.

Throughout the first half, we witnessed several scenes from the Matrix reimagined through dance. My particular favourite was the interpretation of the pods that humans were kept in, as seen in the 1999 film. The costumes, staging, and lighting presented a brilliant abstract interpretation, providing insight into the creative brilliance of Es Devlin and Gareth Pugh.

Corey Owens as Neo

The second half however, allowed for better moments of connection with the audience. In the middle of the runway, a long LED screen spanned almost the entire length of the space. It began with contextual references related to the matrix before rising, with the context continuing throughout the half, emphasising certain scenes. The proximity to the dancers also facilitated a greater translation of the movement, allowing for a deeper connection to the intention behind the choreography, which at times was not as prominent in the seated auditorium.

The 70-strong cast of diverse dancers from both Manchester and London spoke louder to the themes than we perhaps first realise, further emphasising why this production had to be Hip Hop theatre. On stage, we saw a mixture of funk styles, krump, choreography and other styles that typically fall under the street dance umbrella. These were born as a way of expression within disenfranchised communities, amidst systems of discrimination and oppression. “The way it was conceptually put together dealt with a lot of issues. The whole thing with Meta and Amazon, and other social media, is very relevant to now, even though the original film's conception was over 23 years ago,” said Bismark Anobah, dance teacher, lecturer, and mentor. The Matrix excludes no one, and it’s because of this that this genre of theatre was so fitting, making the inclusivity authentic to the movement portrayed without overtly virtue-signalling. Some of the promotional videos used for the show however, may have left some disappointed due to the lack of relevance to the production itself.

Mikey Ureta (Centre) as Agent Smith

Manchester’s theatre spaces have opened their doors to some of the most prestigious Hip Hop Theatre productions in recent years, including Far From the Norm's BLKDOG, Spoken Movements' 'Family Honour,’ ZooNation's 'Message in a Bottle,' and, of course, Boy Blue’s 'Blak Whyte Gray'! While these productions have brought a new energy to Manchester's theatre scene, none have quite capitalised on the abundance of dance talent in the North, with many of them being touring productions based in London.

“I remember watching ‘Blak Whyte Gray’ in Manchester this time last year and thinking, ‘this is what I want to do, I want to work with Boy Blue,’ so now to be able to work with these guys is just crazy!” said Emily Dodd, cast member and recent Shockout graduate. “The most enjoyable part was being at home and being able to work on a production like this,” added Ellis Brownhill, cast member and also Shockout Alumni. “Watching my friends that I trained with from Manchester and seeing them put on a platform this big was just next level,” said Adele Inglis, local dancer & choreographer. “It’s finally giving us that platform, finally giving us that stage, it’s finally giving us that recognition that we are just as strong and can do something that they are doing down south,” emphasised Ian Harris.

Free Your Mind not only brought the display of Hip Hop Theatre in the north and far beyond to new heights, but it also gave space for some of the most talented dancers to display their art and the opportunity to be a part of a historic production made and displayed in Manchester with some of the pioneers of Hip Hop Theatre.

Nicey Belgrave as Trinity

Costumes and styling in this production are also worth mentioning as we see a collaboration between high fashion and Hip Hop theatre for the first time, with costumes designed by renowned fashion designer Gareth Pugh. With his avant-garde use of volume and drama, it's a perfect fit for the mind-twisting ideas of the Matrix. In the past, we have seen the likes of Wayne McGregor collaborate with designers such as Burberry and Raf Simons, Dior with Sharon Eyal, Givenchy with Alvin Ailey, Issey Miyake with William Forsythe, and historic collaborations of Coco Chanel and Serge Diaghilev, among many such collaborations within the worlds of ballet, contemporary, and the established “classical” forms of dance. In the last two decades, however, we have seen the emergence of culture originating from the streets reaching the peripheries within the worlds of music and fashion. While the visibility of the dance has consistently improved, the commercial opportunity in collaboration has been significantly less rewarding than our relatives.

“That’s what happens when Hip Hop companies are given money; the scope of what the production value does to our artistry just elevates it to a whole other level,” said Jade Hackett, choreographer & movement director. “What this means for Hip Hop Theatre is the future,” added Ivan Michael Blackstock, multidisciplinary artist, mentor, and cultural innovator. With the show being the first of its scale for Hip Hop theatre, there were most definitely moments of disconnect, both in the show and its promotion, but ultimately, that’s bound to happen when several industries work together for the first time in such a space. “I think this production is a step up for Hip Hop Theatre. I’ve been in this for a while now, and its been a struggle to get the funding and backing behind everything, so it’s nice to be on a job and have so much behind it,” expressed Nicey Belgrave, who played Trinity and was part of the travelling Boy Blue cast. The steps made in the right direction completely outweigh the teething problems which are bound to get better the more Hip Hop theatre is given this platform.

“My most enjoyable part of the experience was the rehearsals; this is where you get to understand the craft, understand the story, and delve into the character you are portraying in each scene,” said Miguel Semedo, echoed by Kieron Simms, both cast members and Shockout Alumni. It’s for these very reasons that on a personal level, I’m disappointed that MOVES wasn’t more involved in the show process, as telling the story of the dancers taking part in the show and the representation of the dance should be as important to showcase within the dance community as it is with the intended audience of Factory International from a more overseeing arts perspective.

“Kenrick is my fave; I love him to bits and I want to work with him forever,” said Emma Houston, cast member. “It was a bit of a bucket list as I’ve always wanted to work with Boy Blue; it was educational and a really special moment for me,” added Annie Edwards. “I don’t think I’ve quite got the words for it, the way that he works, the way that he motivates; I’ve never worked with a choreographer that creates this environment of just pure drive, he wants to get the best out of everyone,” emphasised Cameron Woolnaugh, cast member.

The show epitomises the work of Kenrick Sandy and Mikey J, and crucially, their role in the continuous innovation, progression, and visibility of Hip Hop Theatre. I hope this is only the beginning of big production budgets and mass collaboration in the space.

The show aired on BBC Two on New Year's Eve, and if you’d like to watch it, it’s now available on BBC iPlayer. I must say the BBC does well at immersing you into the show, especially in places that didn’t read quite as well on stage. This is heightened by the editing and contextual cuts, while still reminding you that this was a production made for theatre first.