Theatre

What happens when you apply the principles of narrative musical theatre to street dance? Consider the new West End production ‘Into the Hoods’. Loosely based on Broadway genius Stephen Sondheim’s revisionist musical ‘Into the Woods’, this cheeky urban fairy tale features a clever, eclectic pop soundtrack and a plot set in motion when a couple of schoolkids get lost in the ’hood. The female leads sport names like Spinderella, Rap-On-Zel and Lil Red. Their male counterparts are a music-making ladies’ man dubbed Prince, a sleek and shifty music producer called Wolf, and Jaxx, the occupant of a basement flat in the tower block where all the characters dwell. There’s also a faux giant at the top of the building whom Jaxx, in one of several comic set-pieces, must confront.
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‘Hoods’ is a quick-witted, large-spirited treat from ZooNation, a London-based hip hop dance-theatre company that Kate Prince founded in 2002. With her peaches-and-cream complexion, this choreographer-director is a bit of an English rose. ‘I’m a country girl who wanted to be a ballerina, but I wasn’t good enough.’ Channeling dreams of tutus and pointy shoes into other areas of dance was easy. ‘I was a massive Janet Jackson fan, but I also loved cheesy musical theatre. Now I’m trying to combine the two.’

Prince’s impulse in forming ZooNation was artistic, social and political. ‘There’s very little respected work available if you’re a hip hop dancer,’ she says. ‘I wanted to try and build that up.’ Comprised mainly of professional street dancers, ZooNation has provided them with opportunities like ‘Hoods’ alongside the odd gig in such far-flung locales as Geneva (a Mazda motorshow) and Dubai. Prince is convinced that ‘If we work hard and well, we’ll open up doors for other people. If you’re a six-year-old taken to see a ballerina, you have so many choices. But what if you’re six and see a show like ours?’ ZooNation has been consistently child-friendly since its inception. ‘I want to get young people into the theatre and motivate them into thinking that if they have the skills and determination, they can have a career in hip hop dance-theatre.’

Prince isn’t neglecting audiences either. ‘Hoods,’ she says, ‘is a night to relax and not feel you have to be on your best behaviour. I just hope people are ready for something a little bit different and new in the West End.’ Although designed by Chris Lowe (credits include films ‘The Golden Compass’ and the new James Bond), the show’s production values are simple. ‘All the colour and life come from the people on stage,’ Prince claims. ‘If you want a big, amazing set, go next door to “Lord of the Rings”. If you wanna see physical theatre done by human bodies, come to us.’
‘Into the Hoods’ is at the Novello Theatre. Booking until May 10.