Dance Recommendation: JUNGLE BOOK REIMAGINED (Global Tour at the BroadStage)

THIS BOOK HAS A NEW CHAPTER

At the end of October, BroadStage presents it most important offering of the 23-24 season: The United States premiere of Jungle Book reimagined October 26-28, 2023, as part of Akram Khan Dance Company‘s global tour.

Jungle Book reimagined
presented by BroadStage at The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage
1310 11th St., Santa Monica CA 90401. Parking is free.
Thursday, October 26 at 7:30pm
Friday, October 27 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, October 28 at 4:00pm
for tickets, call 310.434.3200 or visit BroadStage
tour continues – for dates and cities, visit Jungle Book

With a new sense of urgency, Khan has reinterpreted this known story from another perspective, through the lens of today’s youth – those who will inherit our world and become our future storytellers. Jungle Book reimagined speaks to all generations as a step to remind, to re-learn, and to reimagine a new world together. Bold movement, startling animation, video and sound design bring a new sense of urgency to Khan’s reinterpretation.

Khan said, “We are now living in unprecedented and uncertain times, not only for our species but for all species on this planet. And the root cause of this conundrum is because we have forgotten our connection to our home, our planet. We all inhabit it, we all take from it, and we all build on it, but we have forgotten to return our respect for it.”

Artistic Director/Choreographer Akram Khan

Embedded in the roots of Jungle Book is the deep threat that mankind poses towards nature. Akram and his team have reimagined the journey of Mowgli through the eyes of a refugee caught in a world devastated by the impact of climate change. They tell the story of a child who will help us to listen again, not to our voices but to the voices of the natural world that we, the modern world, try to silence. Jungle Book reimagined speaks to all generations as a step to remind, to relearn and to reimagine a new world together.

Writer Tariq Jordan

Director/Choreographer Akram Khan
Creative Associate/Coach Mavin Khoo
Writer Tariq Jordan
Dramaturgical Advisor Sharon Clark
Composer Jocelyn Pook
Sound Designer Gareth Fry
Lighting Designer Michael Hulls
Visual Stage Designer Miriam Buether
Art Direction and Director of Animation Adam Smith (YeastCulture)
Producer/Director of Video Design Nick Hillel (YeastCulture)
Rotoscope Artists Naaman Azhari, Natasza Cetner, Edson R Bazzarin
Rehearsal Directors Nicky Henshall, Andrew Pan, Angela Towler (Tour)

Jungle Book reimagined is performed by ten dancers: Maya Balam Meyong, Tom Davis-Dunn, Harry Theadora Foster, Filippo Franzese, Thomasin Gülgeç, Bianca Mikahil, Jasper Narvaez, Max Revell, Matthew Sandiford, Pui Yung Shum, Elpida Skourou, Holly Vallis, Jan Mikaela Villanueva, and Luke Watson.

Looking through the eyes of this iconic character as a refugee caught in a world devastated by the impact of climate change. They tell the story of a child who will help us to listen again, not to our voices but to the voices of the natural world that we — the modern world — try to silence.

Jungle Book reimagined speaks to all generations as a step to remind, to relearn and to reimagine a new world together.

The South China Morning Post said, “From start to finish, the electrifying energy, skill and versatility of all 12 dancers is breathtaking.

“Jungle Book reimagined shows the company’s usual strengths: striking theatrical effects, ingenious use of state-of-the-art multimedia and inventive choreography … the work is a mixture of dance, theatre and animation, with images projected on special transparent screens at the front and back of the stage, creating effects which are often truly magical.”

BroadStage’s Artistic Director Rob Bailis said, “Akram is a storyteller of the highest order and that is what makes his approach to Jungle Book so exceptional. The choreography is jaw-droppingly exciting, and that would be enough on its own – but this production embeds the dancing in a visual world of projected animation that fills the stage with magic, while a narration of the Kipling story rides the musical and sound score in a way that it almost becomes music itself. The reimagining here is the not so surprising leap into our current climate context – yes, this is ultimately an adaptation of a children’s book, but as Akram suggests, if you think children are not talking about climate change, think again.”

Bailis continued, “Akram is a global icon in the world of dance and theater making. Early on in his career it was as if he knew no boundaries – he was just as likely to show up in an international tour of Peter Brook’s Mahabharata, as he was in a Classical Indian Kathak dance recital with Pandit Birju Maharaj, or creating visual dance installations for Kylie Minogue arena shows. Over the last twenty years, he has grown into one of the most influential creators in all the performing arts, dance being his primary modality, but fully realized theatrical experiences being his true north.”