Review: EMANUEL GAT DANCE - LOVETRAIN2020 at Sadler’s Wells

Stuart King 18 November, 2023, 17:56

Marseille’s eccentric dance group (with adventurous costumes by Thomas Bradley and lighting design by Emanuel Gat himself), lurch from silent solo introspection to frenetic group interplay as they perform to the music of Tears for Fears.

The Company of Lovetrain2020 at Sadler's Wells. Photo Julia Gat

Mad World, Shout, Sowing The Seeds Of Love, Change, Everybody Wants To Rule The World and others, provide an audible backdrop as the dancers twist, jerk, vogue and cavort in their flounced frippery beneath hurriedly cued lighting states and swirling columns of theatrical smoke.

It’s certainly a busy and colourful concoction and for all the sense that it is performed freestyle, there is clearly considerable precision in the timing and execution of the moves. Aside from everyone on stage having a good time though, is it worth watching?

I suspect the jury will be divided on this one. There are playful elements which entertain and raise a smile, including early montages which allude to the paintings of Caravaggio and Velázquez, but much of the sequenced choreography seems repetitive with segments in need of far greater differentiation to maintain interest.