The Place, London
June 3, 2025
An extremely hard-hitting and impactful dance-docu-drama, Detention tells the story of Section 28, and its impact on the LGBTQ+ community. Conceived and choreographed by Gary Clarke, it is the third part of a trilogy of dance theatre, following on from the successful Coal and Wasteland.
Everything about Detention works. Clarke’s choreography is outstanding, inventive and fresh. The set and costume design by Ryan Dawson Laight compliments what is happening onstage. A simple, yet very effective stage design, pulls you into a seething underworld of fear, anger and intense sadness. Lighting by Joshie Hariette is clever, focusing the audience’s attention where Clarke wants you to look, heightening tension, and seeming to share in the intense emotions.
Photo Joe Armitage
The five dancers, Gavin Coward, Alexandra Bierlaire, Alex Gosmore, Mayowa Ogunnaike and Imogen Wright are superb, not only technically accomplished but emotionally invested, completely engaging and believable. The narrator, Lewey Hellwell, strikes just the right note between pathos and direct storytelling, holding our attention, and demonstrating the folly of a piece of legislation, in place for fifteen years, that marginalised an entire section of the population, and caused immense harm to so many.
Since its founding 2016, Gary Clarke and his company has won many accolades and awards. Detention will surely win many more. It’s definintely worth going out of your way to catch a performance
Detention is at The Place, London to June 7, 2025, then continuing on a national tour. Visit detentiontour.co.uk for more details about the show, dates, venues and booking links.