Review: ZOONATION: MIXTAPE, Sadler's Wells

A celebration of ZooNation and their greatest hits from the last 20 years was always going to pack a punch, but Kate Prince's Company of charismatic hip-hop dancers can do wit, comedy, pathos and poignancy too. This is Mixtape, a pacy run through shows familiar to fans of dance young and old (ok, mostly young) including Some Like It Hip-Hop, The Mad Hatter's Tea Party and the most recent Message in a Bottle.

"This isn't any theatre show, it's a hip-hop theatre show" the voice over tells us at curtain up, met by excitable whoops and cheers. That's if you hadn't figured it out already from the Sadler's Wells foyer packed with teenagers in combats and crop tops. A refreshing sight.

The evening is conceived and directed by long-time company members Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe and Bradley Charles, both tallying seventeen years with ZooNation. A sign of Prince's desire for the creative work to be continued by not just herself. Indeed, the numbers selected show a natural aptitude to curate a cohesive evening and not just a buffet style selection of the best bits.

Mixtape features 48 dancers, including those from ZooNation Youth Company who deliver a number of highlights. One of them is an impassioned set piece to WoodKid's "Run Boy Run" led by Nicole Ingram who is commanding an authoritative bringing out all the drama you could wish for.

In the main company, Tommy Franzen is a natural stand out reprising the role of Simeon from Some Like It Hip Hop. His quality is so fluid, it's hard not to watch. He moves with an easy elasticity as well as delivering the comedic moments with astute timing. Similarly recognisable is Lizzie Gough who keeps a low profile in Act I before taking the lead role of Spinderella from Into the Hoods fabulous Ball scene in Act II, in which she leaves behind a Nike Air trainer "from Footlocker".

Featuring the music of Sting, "Message in a Bottle" was one of the last hurrahs of the London dance scene before the pandemic. This memorable fondness is justified in the well chosen excerpts here. Beginning with the reflective "Englishman in New York" and giving away to a touching duet to "Shape of my Heart" for Deavion Brown and Robbie Ordona, both of whom are agile acrobats and graceful storytellers. Later on, it's bettered by another sophisticated offering this time from Lukas McFarlane and Nafisah Baba who have a balletic elegant together and endless stage presence.

There's a return to comedy with "I Keep Falling Asleep", a signature ZooNation romp featuring a narcoleptic mouse in a teapot who's trying to woo his Alice (a brilliantly prim Megan Ingram), from the Mad Hatter's Tea Party.

Mixtape is a consistently engaging and entertaining night out, the only complaint of which is that the black and white tracksuits worn for the duration make the whole thing feel a little informal and rehearsal-like. Of course it would be impossible to negotiate all the quick costume changes but this is a company who deserves to deliver a full theatrical experience.

Photo Credit:: Paul Hampartsomian

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