Words: Alex Grunberg

4 stars

Fans of 1970s dystopian worlds like ‘Rollerball’ and ‘The Warriors’ will feel at home in the reggae-infused, dance-based future of Sound Clash: Death in the Arena. A loose ‘Romeo and Juliet’ retelling, ‘Sound Clash’ imagines a world divided by political factions and performers competing for power; power to keep feeding corrupt systems, or the power to change the world for the better. 

This is a highly ambitious and creative work, and the uniqueness of the show’s artistic style stands out. And while the story is enjoyable far-future fun, the real star of this show is the dancing. 

While teased throughout, the performers really get to show off in the climactic Sound Clash. The ‘skanking’ skills of the featured dancers were visually stunning, and they moved across the stage with power, fluidity, and confidence. The music of the final scene was quite fun as well, and this was one of the few shows where, when the performers invited the audience to dance, I was very happy to get up and move. 

A rhythmic, entertaining show for dance fans looking for some unexpected creativity. 

Sound Clash: Death in the Arena
Pleasance Courtyard, Pleasance One
16.10
24-28 Aug