BABEL
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet & Antony Gormley
Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 May 2010 | Sadlers' Wells
Working in and around Gormley’s 5 giant boxes, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui with collaborator Damien Jalet, leads Babel’s 17 dancers and musicians in an investigation into his own Arabic roots. Featuring Sufi trance led by Fahrettin Yarkin, Babel explores how language, both spoken and physical, is the driving force behind all human interaction.
Combining a western vocabulary with those of four ‘zones’ including Beirut, Baghdad, Istanbul and Casablanca, themes of conflict and coexistence emerge that can be traced back to the collapse of civilisations, countries and people.
Co-commissioned by Dash Arts for the Dash Arabic Series, Babel is the third instalment of the Sidi Larbi triptych, beginning with Foi (2003) and Myth (2007), that reflects a profound curiosity in man’s search for the divine.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is an Associate Artist at Sadler's Wells and is of Flemish / Morrocan / Catholic / Muslim descent. Rooted in the basic human aspects of language and communication, this multi-national company’s work is revelatory and challenging.
The production is now on an international tour.
Babel (words) won two Oliviers at the 2011 Award Ceremony – for Best New Dance Production and Outstanding Achievement in Dance for Antony Gormley’s sculptures. Congratulations to Eastman’s Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet and Antony Gormley.
Full cast and crew list here.
Reviews and press cuttings here.
Latest reviews from Sadler's Wells, 18 May 2010:
““the most fiercely resonant dance theatre of the decade” ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ”
““Movements are shared and repeated, delivered like punches and then lured into a seductive and tender communality.” ★ ★ ★ ★”
“Diversity and ethnicity are popular themes in the theatre but rarely are they treated with such ingenuity and humour, and such choreographic and philosophical erudition, as they are in Babel. ★ ★ ★ ★”
““the movement throughout is exceptional ... the piece also possesses a keen philosophical edge” ”
Reviews from the premiere in Brussels:
“An avalanche of surprising images, full of humour, imagination and poetry… a remarkable show”
“Babel is not only the most innovative dance piece of the year; its language of movement is as new as Pina Bausch’s was in the seventies. It is also one of the strongest works of the year”
“If there is a God, he’s definitely created Cherkaoui and Jalet to be his messengers. The trilogy Foi – Myth – Babel is of heavenly beauty”
Babel was accompanied by a programme of talks, live music and Arabic food at the Sadler's Wells Lilian Baylis Studio and Garden Café.
TOUR DATES
Brussels, Belgium
27th April - 30th April 2010
Zurich, Switzerland
4th May - 5th May 2010
Geneva, Switzerland
8th May - 9th May 2010
Neuchatal, Switzerland
11th May 2010
London, United Kingdom
18th May - 19th May 2010
Madrid, Spain
28th May - 30th May 2010
Ludwigsburg, Germany
5th June - 6th June 2010
Luxemburg, Luxemburg
8th June - 9th June 2010
Paris, France
1st July - 3rd July 2010
Paris, France
5th July - 7th July 2010
Tivoli, Italy
16th July - 17th July 2010
Den Bosch, Netherlands
7th August - 8th August 2010
Turnhout, Belgium
11th September 2010
Groningen, Netherlands
17th September - 18th September 2010
Gent, Belgium
4th October - 5th October 2010
Metz, France
8th October - 9th October 2010
Amsterdam, Netherlands
12th October - 13th October
Genk, Belgium
16th October 2010
St Polten, Austria
30th October 2010
Dijon, France
21st October - 22nd October 2010
Lille, France
5th November - 7th November 2010
Rouen, France
15th November - 16th November 2010
Rotterdam, Netherlands
23rd November - 24th November 2010
Nice, France
3rd December - 5th December 2010
Berlin, Germany
9th December - 11th December 2010
Antwerp, Belgium
16th December - 19th December 2010
Lyon, France
13th January - 15th January 2011
Bonn, Germany
10th March 2011