Kate Prince’s high-octane take on Stephen Sondheim’s 'Into The Woods' was ZooNation’s first foray into full-length hip-hop theatre, debuting on the Peacock stage way back in 2006 before Edinburgh Festival success, a record-smashing five-month West End run and two revivals. Now Prince and her team of eight choreographers have revisited this much-loved family show, bringing new dancers, choreography, set designs and soundtrack. The essence of the piece remains the same, though: this is a showcase for hugely admirable talent, big personalities and a deep affection for hip hop dance.
Two hapless kids (impressive Tyreese Remy-Henderson and Jenai Mason-Smith) end up lost on the Ruff Endz Estate, and agree to help the miserly Landlord of Beanstalk Towers find (that is, steal) four birthday presents for his daughter for the promise of their bus fare home. To do this they must spend time with the Towers’ fairytale tenants, from crime kingpin Giant, in the penthouse, to impecunious mix-master Jaxx, (where else?) in the Basement.
Prince and co mash up classic b-boy moves, popping and locking, house dancing, krumping, precision-tooled ensemble routines and even lindy-hop to electrifying effect for what could be considered a hip-hop panto – the cast radiate an infectious joy that makes it hard to stay still in your seat. Set pieces – such as the Ugly Sisters’ routine to Whitney Houston and the OAP dance-off to Run DMC – are outrageously entertaining. But Prince can also flip the mood effectively to tap into the darker side of a tale about life in the hoods. DJ Walde’s retooled music mix, meanwhile, is a blisteringly paced cut-up blast of pure fun, ranging from Roots Manuva to Mac Band.
There are some familiar faces – diminutive Annie Edwards is still scene-stealing as the feisty Fairy Gee; krump pioneer Duwane Taylor takes over Kenrick Sandy’s original role as predatory record label boss Wolf. But there are also some outstanding company debuts: Lucinda Wessels is an affectingly downtrodden Spinderella, and Jade Hackett’s weave-wearing wannabe MC Rap-on-Zel oozes pure Missy Elliott attitude. It’s Daryl Baker’s cheesy playa Prince, though, that you can’t keep your eyes off – a fabulously fluid dancer, he also brings comic timing and charisma in spades as he mercilessly sends up the 1990s crooning boyband phenomenon.
SIOBHAN MURPHY
This review is from October 2015.