The ‘Message’ is going wider. Kate Prince’s hit show with the talented ZooNation crew will soon be on screens across the UK. This venture is a first for Sadler’s Wells who team up with the Royal Opera House and Universal Pictures to release on film the hit show that premiered at the Peacock Theatre in 2020.
It is filmed in a studio but with multi-camera angles and a star cast. The music of Sting was the inspiration and is a major part of the show’s success. For the film, new musical arrangements and recordings have been made. Message in a Bottle is already screening in the States and will be available in 500 cinemas across the UK from May 30 to June 6.
Photo Lynn Theisen
Refugees, an issue the seems to be the death knell for politicians has, in contrast, been a huge success for Prince. While always been in touch with the real world with hit shows like Into the Hoods and Some Like it Hip Hop, taking on the story of a Syrian refugee family for Message in a Bottle, might have seemed a gamble. The crucial difference is that she presents refugees not as statistical problems but as real people with real lives and hopes. The trio of youngsters, forced to leave their home to find safe refuge when war breaks out are the backbone of the plot. Lukas McFarlane as Leto, Deavion Brown as Mati and Kaycee Rice as Tana dance up a storm and adapt to the screen effortlessly.
Hip hop and the many variants on break and street dance have huge popular appeal with little of the unfortunate stigma that attaches to so many other dance forms. The stars of the stage show are also featured on TV which has always been a good selling point.
The show opens on a village celebration. It’s the perfect introduction to the competitive athleticism that hip excels in. Dancers fly, somersault and roll across the screen until we hear the sound of bombs falling. The focus swings to newly married Leto. McFarlane, who is also associate choreographer, has a charismatic screen presence. His bride is Nafisah Baba, who takes the dance to a new level of sophistication. As they attempt to flee. Baba is separated from the others by masked men. Abduction and rape are a common part of the refugee story and this scene, the most hard hitting in the film, is neither sensationalist nor does it gloss over the nastiness.
Photo Lynn Theisen
The story takes its course as the trio travel trying to find a place of safety. There are walls to climb and fences that block their way with armed security guards at every turn. The refugees are forced to give up all they have of value to gain the right papers. Leto almost parts with his precious gold wedding ring but there is a happy ending, a necessary part of a popular show but far from the reality of most who are forced to make the dangerous journey.
Sting’s music and lyrics take us to dark, controversial places and Prince adapts these well to fit her narrative. Of course there are the hits including ‘Roxanne’, ‘Walking On The Moon’, ‘Fields of Gold’ and ‘Every Breath You Take’ to ensure the show’s success and strike the right balance of popularity and relevance.
The energy of the ZooNation dancers never flags and the multi-camera filming adds variety to the sequences. The scene on the boat is cleverly filmed from above with video effects creating the waves all bathed in Natasha Chivers’ effective lighting. At the heart is the energy and athleticism of the dancers that can now be enjoyed by a wider audience.
Message in a Bottle is in cinemas from May 30 to June 6, 2024. Visit www.sadlerswells.com or cinemas.roh.org.uk for details, venues and booking.