Kate Prince and ZooNation take the songs of Sting to create a compelling soundtrack for Message in a Bottle, a dance piece telling the story of three refugees.
It first ran at the Peacock Theatre at the beginning of 2020. This digital version was filmed on a soundstage and has been screened on PBS Great Performances in the USA and in UK cinemas earlier this year.
This blend of story and song should not work – on paper, it meshes a complex story about conflict, immigration, humanity and survival with a back catalogue of popular songs which have perhaps become over-familiar in their original form.
Here, they are re-recorded and sung mainly by Sting, with some involvement from guest vocalist Beverley Knight.
Although you can watch this with little knowledge of the scope of the project and its plotline, I do recommend you download the story from within the Message in a Bottle education resource pack.
This also gives a wider view on how the show moved from a showcase of the music of one popular composer into a rich exploration of where we sit in the world and how we value others.
Lolita Chakrabarti as dramaturg, and Alex Lacamoire as musical arranger, work seamlessly with director/choreographer Kate Prince to develop this story of three siblings (Leto, Mati, Tana) and how they cope with the crisis of being separated by conflict and the need to find new paths for themselves.
Now and then, a song and scene have perhaps too much synergy, notably in act two as “If You Love
Somebody, Set Them Free, ” accompanies the detention of migrants in a refugee camp.
The dancing and movement, however, are often completely right for the situation, and when a choice of song does fit (“Don’t Stand So Close To Me” accompanies the dehumanising of women by the militia) it gives a powerful and intense experience.
ZooNation’s work is known for its quick movements and its vibrant storytelling, and its dancers rise up to the challenging choreography.
A 21-strong team of dancers creates a world in which words are not necessary to tell the story, just bodies, settings, expressions, and our own sense of justice.
Too often, the migrant and refugee issue is dismissed as affecting other people, far away. Message in a Bottle focuses on three people and those who know them, and shows how circumstance can leave them in terrible situations.
As a film, this is a rich piece of dance theatre in which the choice of music flows in and out of the story we are seeing. Close-ups and wide shots allow us to enjoy all aspects of the production in a curated way to present the best experience (if you were watching this on a stage, you may find other focal points).
The lighting by Natasha Chivers, video design by Andrzej Goulding, and sets by Ben Stones all add to the sense that we are taking part in a conversation about how we have become complicit in walking away from the problems of others.
Moments of trauma, tension, and tenderness are evoked with just a change of movement or a line of a song. ‘Walking On The Moon’ becomes the catalyst for allowing other people in, and beginning to trust them.
‘The Empty Chair’ brings us full circle to the family’s happiness before they were changed forever, and ‘Can’t Stand Losing You’ pinpoints a lover’s tiff. It’s profound yet plain.
You can now stream Message in a Bottle until 7 Jan, with tickets at https://zoonation.co.uk/productions/message-in-a-bottle/.
****.5