Wall can be quite an emotive word if one thinks of the wall not only Trump wants to build. I think Pink Floyd… Oona Doherty’s Wall is a human wall of solidarity. Thirty-two young dancers, some still doing their A-levels, of varying backgrounds, “from twenty-one towns, cities and villages across the country” explore national identity.
They rise and fall as one. Again and again, in canon, in groups, twist and turn – Pina Bausch would be impressed. Freestyle, it looks organic, both individual and collective. They huddle in supportive groups, line up in defiance, “make a stand”. Their stories resonate in voice-overs, their bodies supplying the powerful subtext.
Creative caption designer Ben Glover, himself deaf, and composers Mark Leckey, Luca Truffarelli, Shamos (Shane Connolly) turn Wall into an art installation. “Part of the music for Wall is inspired by Union Jack by Big Audio.
“All for one, one for all; “what happened to you men of might”; “your country needs you”, “wake up all”; “in the classroom I was told ‘bout the Empire, how you were bold”, “life passes by, your spirit squashed”, “god bless the queen”, and more. It’s passionate, political and ironic, this clinging to taught illusions of British history.
Impossible not to see the hypocrisy of the ruling class, and what it means to these young people, some immigrants, some internally displaced, some with learning difficulties, one in a wheelchair. Making up their own minds about the state of the country and its politics, this is as much their production as Irish guest NYDC choreographer Doherty. They talk of a country that has got more selfish, insular, backward looking. Are their voices heard?
Some stories seem fed to the youngsters by their parents reminiscing about their youth in Belfast, at the Brixton Academy, at the university film society, foggy sixties Pilkington, the Beatles... Different voices, different accents, lovely voices, lovely accents, speak of the haves and have-nots. People are not kind anymore, one says. A betrayal of expectations...
Wall speaks powerfully of a selfish divided country - the resonating white noise electronic music could be a wail of despair and rejection. “My vote doesn't count”. Yet they must “never give up”. The fight is on. They have youth on their side if nothing else.
They bob to the beat – could be sixties again – a hopeful beat. A wonderful male solo brings it to a close. Hugs and cheers all round. Only one hour, but the message is clear.
This year’s cohort deserves to be named: Aleesha Moyo (Leeds), Anya Rakshit (Derby), Aoibh Ryan (Manchester), Ayuna Berbidaeva (London), Charly Knights (Leamington Spa), Daisy Bilsland (Ashford), Ernie Shorten (Somerset), Francis Henry (Leeds), Frank Thorpe (Sheffield), Fue Akama (Huddersfield), Georgia Coulson (Penzance), Gilbert Dicks (Cambridge), Jacob Lincoln (Ipswich), James Airey (Chesterfield), Kitty Newton (Haslemere), Lina Kasasa (London), Luis Green (Folkestone), Luke Pele (Birmingham), Matthew Atkinson (Durham), Meeri Niva (London), Megan Chaytor Wilson (Durham), Megan Georges (Hertfordshire), Monét Brooks (London), Morgan Heimsoth (Newbury), Otis De Ville Morel (Okehampton),Phoebe Mufushwa (Winchester), Rosa Boadle-Soumah (Leeds), Roselynn Gumbo (Manchester), Rowan Williams (Somerset), Ruben Morais (Devon), Venus Shury (London), Wray Maxwell-Mulligan (Manchester).
Dancer Charly Knights writing in the programme says Oona Doherty inspired them to “dance less feel more”… They will not give up. Resistance and strength will be required. They look ready.
NYDC has been run by Sadler’s Wells since 2013. Past guest artistic directors have included Wayne McGregor, Alesandra Seutin, Russell Maliphant, Botis Seva, Sharon Eyal, Akram Khan, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and more. The 2024/25 guest artistic directors will be Boy Blue. “Over 80% of NYDC graduates go on to further dance training or careers in dance”, which is a heartening statistic.
Wall is touring throughout July to Ipswich’s DanceEast, London’s Bold Tendencies, Suffolk’s Latitude Festival and Leicester’s Curve.