Peacock Theatre, London
October 23, 2024
It is incredibly rare that a performance is so exceptional that there is nothing to say about it except that it is outstanding in every respect. Stories by Romain Rachline Borgeaud for his RB Dance Company is one such rare event.
Borgeaud has an impressive CV, in the US and Europe, choreographing, directing, and composing. His company was founded only in 2018, the same year it won France’s Got Talent, but already has quite a reputation for its mix of urban jazz and tap.
He composed the music for Stories, which provides the golden thread for the story of Icarus, a young actor under the oppressive influence of his director, whose stranglehold he’s unable to escape, that runs through the piece.
Photo Aline Gérard
The company’s eighteen dancers, all multi-talented, command the stage, the audience, and leave an indelible impression. Stories needs dancers of high calibre, and consummate acting ability, to pull it off, and that they do it in spectacular fashion. It is dance, but perhaps more than anything a real coming together of all the elements than make good theatre. It’s performance art at its absolute best.
Huge credit must also go to the technical team too. The lighting, sound, set design, costumes, hair and make-up were all top notch, and chimed completely with the choreography, supporting and enhancing the dancers in bringing Borgeaud’s inspired creation to the stage.
Stories has already won several awards and deserves to win many more. It’s a unique and highly recommended piece of theatre.
Stories is at the Peacock Theatre, London to November 2, 2024.