WALL GIVES NATIONAL IDENTITY A GOOD KICK ABOUT

Review Taylor Anderson | Photography Manuel Vason

“Wall” by Guest Artistic Director Oona Doherty, and the performers of National Youth Dance Company (NYDC), delivers a piece which serves as an important reflective exercise and gives national identity a good kick about, sometimes literally (we are told “your country needs you… to play football”). There is something for everyone in this dynamic performance which leaves no stone unturned in answering the question: “if you spoke to Britain, what would it say?” During a summer of political transition, the piece could not feel more relevant, fresh and hopeful.

As soon as you enter the theatre, a hush descends on the audience as they overlook a dark stage with four separate groups of dancers. The curtain is already up revealing individuals that are all part of the same writhing organism and each entangled mass of bodies move in slo mo. Above them hangs a suspended screen which flashes sporadic lyrics from the punky “Union Jack” pseudo-anthem by Big Audio Dynamite. The late 80’s vocals have been decapitated from the cheery bounce of the instrumental - to be reintroduced later - and the words echo in the dark and eerie atmosphere. 

Over the course of the introduction, you may begin to wonder about the version of Britain we are going to be presented. Prepare to have all assumptions blasted away as a striking change of pace whacks us over the head. From here on out, no section feels safe as we are whiplashed from sombre introverted movements, to groovy ensemble sections to spiky jumps and thrashing in strobe lights.

Throughout we are presented with a rich tapestry of multigenerational anecdotes, general reflections and experiences of individuals grappling with their connection to Britain. A person’s first concert at Brixton Academy; lying to parents to get a glimpse of the Beatles; the unjust treatment of refugees; and a nostalgic description of Lancashire’s once bustling, and now lost, industrial landscape. Breakout solos, fun duets and standout unison pieces play with the words we hear in enhancing and contrasting ways. 

The adoption of audio interviews to frame explorations of national identity includes the voices of the dancers themselves. A meta-narrative forms when we are welcomed into the inner thoughts of the performers as they share their personal experiences of Britain. It’s a thoughtful inclusion which shows just how much of themselves the dancers are giving to the audience to address the premise truthfully. The result is an exhibition of human nature celebrating the beauty of difference.

Despite the amorphous subject matter being addressed, the technical ability of the performers is not consumed, or overshadowed, by the concept. Rather the sheer talent that this exciting next generation of dancers possess shines through, as each performer onstage utilises the full range of their emotional breadth. 

A breathtaking scene comes in the form of the most literal, physical translation of the title: a continuous wall of falling dancers. The sheer stamina of these performers is something to behold as they, in unison, create a cascading wave of bodies. As the musical accompaniment is stripped away, we are left with their heavy breathing as the only soundscape. A very real and audible exhaustion takes hold; each fall as vigorous as the first. It’s an awe-inspiring section filled with a horror that’s hard to describe, but with a tear-jerking conclusion that calls back to the lyrics we’ve repeatedly heard previously: “all for one and one for all”. Heartfelt moments of intimacy amongst the dancers, providing much needed light relief, pulls at the theme of solidarity that’s threaded throughout the whole performance.

“Wall” is an ambitious collaboration between Doherty and the dancers as the baton is passed on to the next generation to explore whether pride can be found in a national identity burdened by political division and troubling history. By the end of the piece, we are reminded that unity often prevails and optimism is restored. Britain is changing.