Choreography by Kate Prince, set to the most celebrated hits of world-renowned artist, Sting.
Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK present Message In A Bottle, a new dance theatre production by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting. Message In A Bottle receives its world premiere at Sadler’s Wells’ West End theatre, The Peacock, fromThursday 6 February – Saturday 21 March 2020, followed by a UK and international tour. Gravity-defying lyrical hip hop dance and breath-taking music combine in an uplifting story of humanity and hope.
The peaceful village of Bebko is alive with joyous celebrations. Suddenly, under attack, everything changes forever. Three siblings, Leto, Mati and Tana, must embark on perilous journeys in order to survive.
Message In A Bottle is a spectacular new dance-theatre show from triple-Olivier Award nominee, Kate Prince to the iconic hits of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, including Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, Walking On The Moon and more. With a mix of exhilarating dance styles, high-energy footwork and breath-taking athleticism, Message In A Bottle tells a unifying and uplifting story of humanity and hope.
Message In A Bottle is the latest masterpiece from the ground-breaking creator behind West End hits Some Like it Hip Hop, Into the Hoods, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (choreography) and SYLVIA (Old Vic), and features the astonishing talents of dance storytelling powerhouse, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company.
Message In A Bottle sees a village alive with joyous celebrations suddenly come under siege. In the chaos, three siblings, Leto, Mati and Tana are separated from their parents; they undertake a perilous journey to new lands and set out on their own extraordinary adventures. Songs include Every Breath You Take, Roxanne, Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic, Walking On The Moon, Englishman In New York, Shape Of My Heart and Fields Of Gold.
After its run at The Peacock, Message In A Bottle tours to Theatre de la Ville Luxembourg (26 – 28 March), The Lowry, Salford (1 – 4 April), Birmingham Hippodrome (8 – 11 April) and MAAG, Zurich (15 April – 3 May), with further international dates to be confirmed.
The production features exceptional dancers from ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company, including Lukas McFarlane as Leto – winner of Sky 1’s Got to Dance (2013); Tommy Franzen as Mati – BBC One’s So You Think You Can Dance (2010) and the Tom Hooper-directed CATS, in cinemas winter 2019; and Natasha Gooden – Blak Whyte Gray (Boy Blue) and Strictly Come Dancing – as Tana.
Alongside these outstanding performers, the production also features a multi-award-winning creative team, including Alex Lacamoire (Music Supervisor and New Arrangements), Grammy and Tony Award winner for his work on musicals including Hamilton (2016), In The Heights (2008) and Dear Evan Hansen (2017). Music production and additional arrangements for the show are by multi-Grammy Award winner Martin Terefe, who has written and produced for artists such as Jason Mraz, Sean Mendes, KT Tunstall, Tom Odell and Train.
The team also comprises set design by Ben Stones (MEN 2011 Award winner for Best Design for Doctor Faustusat the Royal Exchange); video design by Andrzej Goulding (winner of the inaugural Theatre and Technology Award for Creative Innovation in Video Design for Room in 2017); costume design by Anna Fleischle (Olivier Award winner, 2016 for Hangmen); and lighting design by Natasha Chivers (Olivier Award winner, 2007 for Sunday in the Park with George).
Sound design is by David McEwan (Music Producers Guild Award winner (2011)); music co-production and mixing is by Grammy Award-winning Oskar Winberg; and dramaturgy is by Lolita Chakrabarti, whose writing credits include the Uk Theatre Award-winning Life Of Pi. Alongside his performing role, Lukas McFarlaneappears as Associate Choreographer.
Hip-hop, dance and music combine in this story of family and adventure. Sting’s biggest hits are woven through the narrative, including “Roxanne”, “Every Breath You Take”, “Fields of Gold” “Englishman In New York” and “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”. It isn’t known if the music will be performed live or if it will be prerecorded, but either way Prince is determined to leave Sting’s distinctive vocals as they are.
The lighting, choreography, emoting is all on point and makes it a gripping, engaging, evocative and emotional show to watch. The audience gave a standing ovation at the end and unanimously gave a thumbs up to the production. It was a show to remember!
Sadler’s Wells is a world-leading creative organisation based in London committed to the making of dance, with over three centuries of theatrical heritage. Since 2005, Sadler’s Wells has created award-winning dance productions, co-productions and touring projects in collaboration with its portfolio of Associate Artists, as well as international dance companies and partners.
