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BLAK WHYTE GRAY, Barbican [Darrel Blake @darrel__blake]

Gil Scott Heron once said "The revolution will not be televised", he was right... it will be performed. BLAK WHYTE GRAY takes on the role of decolonising the system, broken into 3 parts that express stages in the struggle in overcoming the challenges in society, fuelled by the idea of radicalism.

Dance and Art have played a vital role in British and Black culture, these forms of expression have been used as tools to reject European Nationalism, Neo Liberalism and Racial Discrimination for centuries. What B.W.G does is, appeal to your conscious appetite by keeping your focus on the minimal lit stage, giving each dancer a moment to shine. In part 1, 3 dancers exploded on stage with an ecstatic sharp routine. Restricted due to wearing straightjackets, they manoeuvred in sync to a heart thumping melody. Showing the signs off physical entrapment, they also personified the mental slavery that many suffer from. What was exquisite about this part was, the dancers showed unity and it oozed with tribalism in the fight against the restraints. Kicking off the show in such a powerful way, only got us excited for what's to come. Part 2 was a collective of performers on stage, using body language and facial expressions to tell their story of how they felt. Each dancer told their truths and through harmonised choreography, they all agreed on oppression being their enemy. Using the jurisdiction of the stage, as each routine was performed, they showed frustration at the authorities of what came across as the political institutions formed against humanity. From rhythmically dancing together into a compact mass of energy, to transitioning that spirit into one voice of rebellion. The finale was special, this reminded me of traditional African rites of passage. The main performer of the group Ricardo Da Silva, began this segment by acting as someone who was weak, depleted and lacked life. He tried to show strength but struggled with keeping his energy up. 7 more dancers joined him on stage creating an ancestral vibe, trying to embody him with spirit and knowledge. This part had no audio, all that was heard was breathing from the dancers and the sound of them trying to uplift him. I couldn't help but feel myself cheering the dancers on silently, trying to offer my contribution of energy. The scene then moved onto Ricardo being layered with red cloth, this felt like watching a boy become a man. Each dancer offered their grace with distinctive dance moves as though they were preparing him for manhood. This act had the African Proverb "it takes a village to raise a child" written all over it. Each spirit played a role in equipping him to face the world and taking on the powers that be. His body language monologue was like something out of a Shakespearean sonnet, beautifully choreographed, the rhythmic pattern of his segment was all about the iambic pentameter of each step he took. The end of the finale had my heart warm and my feet tapping. It felt like a gathering of friends and family, celebrating happy days. The back drop was of an African sunrise which in some Sub-Saharan cultures, is a symbol of "a new day" or "a new time". The stage fully lit to every inch of the floor. Each dancer giving it their best moves in a 'Soul Train' style performance. Tribal heads hung from the ceiling as they worked classic African and Dancehall dance moves. The audience cheered, clapped and stood up participating in this ceremony. BLAK WHYTE GRAY is how every revolutionary story should be narrated.

#Darrel Blake #Critics of Colour #Blak Whyte Gray

Leave Taking, Bush Theatre [Darrel Blake @darrel__blake]

“What does a doctor know about a Black woman’s soul?” echoed around the theatre as this became the anthem of the show. “Leave Taking”, a Bush Theatre production by Winsome Pinnock returned to the stage since is premier in 1987, bringing back the Caribbean anecdote that has been the story for many Caribbean households since the Windrush era.