Oxford Playhouse is thrilled to host the award-winning Akram Khan Company, as part of Oxford Festival of the Arts.
Olivier Award-winning Akram Khan Company present Chotto Desh – the much-loved family friendly production, takes to the Playhouse’s Main Stage on Saturday July 6th.
Adapted by Theatre-Rites’ director, Sue Buckmaster, from Akram Khan’s solo and critically acclaimed DESH, this heart-warming story follows a young man trying to find his place in the world.
Chotto Desh, meaning ‘small homeland’, draws on Khan’s unique quality of cross-cultural storytelling, creating a compelling tale of a boy’s dreams and memories from Britain to Bangladesh that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit in the modern world.
Blending Kathak and contemporary dance with a mix of spoken text, dreamlike animation, visuals and specially composed music, Chotto Desh is an enchanting and poignant dance-theatre experience for all the family to enjoy together.
Artistic Director and Choreographer of the company, Akram Khan is one of the most celebrated dance artists today, building his reputation on the success of imaginative, highly accessible and profoundly moving productions such as Jungle Book reimagined, Outwitting the Devil, Until the Lions, Kaash, iTMOi (in the mind of igor), DESH, Vertical Road, and zero degrees. Khan has worked world-class artists from cultures and disciplines such as the National Ballet of China, actress Juliette Binoche, ballerina Sylvie Guillem, choreographers/dancers Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Israel Galván, singer Kylie Minogue, and visual artists Anish Kapoor, Antony Gormley and Tim Yip.
The Ballet Central
Dance at Oxford Playhouse this summer also includes world-class ballet from the dance talents of the renowned Central School of Ballet, performing on the Main Stage on Friday, May 31.
The Ballet Central mixed bill showcases captivating works by acclaimed choreographers, performed by 32 young dancers as they step into their professional careers. The evening will include a range of classical ballet alongside dynamic contemporary dance.
This year’s programme includes the final act of Petipa’s Coppélia, a celebration of classical ballet with the stunning score by Leo Delibes. Two newly commissioned works make their debut: Jules Cunningham’s contemporary work Stay On It set to a rhythmic track by minimalist composer Julius Eastman, and Carolyn Bolton’s high energy ballet Night Flight v2.0 performed to a new score by Philip Feeney. Daniel Davidson’s recent work, I think we’re on different planets, is a moving evocation of heartache and our yearning for connection.
Touring to Oxford, the company includes Chipping Norton-born dancer Jessica Ward and Buckinghamshire-based Grace Field who has performed at the New Theatre Oxford with her childhood ballet school.
Tickets for Chotto Desh and Ballet Central at Oxford Playhouse start at £14. Tickets are available from the Box Office: 01865 305305 or to book online at www.oxfordplayhouse.com
