A breath-taking celebration of music, dance and community.
From the moment you step into the Barbican Theatre, you know this is no ordinary performance. The space hums with anticipation, transformed into a circular jazz salon complete with a central dance floor, bar, and the feeling of something about to erupt.
Welcomed to the space with a rousing chant of ‘more light, more power’, the first half offers a rich introduction through newly commissioned pieces as a warm up to the unique relationship of music, choreography and audience freedom. You’re not just here to watch—you’re invited into the experience, welcomed gently by the dancers moving through the crowd. There’s a deep sense of care in how the performers interact with the audience, creating something that feels both safe and electric. It has the warmth of a ceilidh and the freedom of a great club night.
It’s in the second half where Mingus’s full vision takes shape. The opening is bold and immediate from the first few waps from bass trombonist Yusuf Narçin, and the music pours out. Mingus is brought to life with fearless precision by the Nu Civilisation Orchestra under the direction of Peter Edwards, whose transcription of the complex original score is an extraordinary feat in itself. The orchestra’s performance crackles with clarity and soul.
The dancers are magnetic. Suzy Willson’s choreography, grounded in improvisation and responsiveness, gives them space to breathe, respond, flirt, confront. The standout moments come in the form of several sensual quartets: two dancers, two musicians, each pairing forming its own pulsing duet. Each dancer brings their own distinct energy: all of them unmistakably alive in the moment.
Visually, the performance is breathtaking. Hansjörg Schmidt’s lighting design sculpts the space beautifully and the costumes, designed by Marianthi Hatzikidi, are as expressive as the performances themselves—vibrant, textured, and joyously individual. Layers of colour and fabric ripple with every movement. They help tell the story of each dancer’s spirit and make the whole performance feel celebratory.
What emerges by the end is not just a performance but a transformation. You’ve been moved, physically and emotionally. You’ve seen Mingus’s music, not just heard it. This production is a masterclass in collaboration—between music and dance, performer and audience, past and present. It honours the wild genius of Charles Mingus by keeping it wild, by letting it breathe and sweat and seduce. Five stars, and then some.