It would be hard to match online the thrill of Hofesh Shechterâs
Political Mother in a theatre. This seminal work arrived with the force of a punch, the visceral pulse of its drum-beat hitting your chest and ears, the bright lights and surging dance blinding you in a frenzy of movement. It was a work that matched its huge theme â about indoctrination and totalitarianism, about the fine lines between joy and agony â with a blast of pure energy that sent you out into the night dancing and shaken, caught between hope and despair.
Shechter had planned to revisit the piece in 2020 with a group of specially recruited young dancers to mark the 10th anniversary of its creation. When Covid-19 struck and performances were cancelled, he turned their talents into something else, a response to the original filmed in Battersea Arts Centre. It will be available to stream next Friday to Sunday on the BAC website (pay what you can).