Four things you didn't know about Jungle Book reimagined
See this familiar story in a brand new light
You might know The Jungle Book from the 1960s Disney cartoon – or it’s real-life remake from 2017. Maybe you’ve even read Rudyard Kipling’s classic collection of stories about a boy raised by wolves.
Well, we’re bringing you a new version of The Jungle Book, Jungle Book reimagined from Akram Khan Company and here are four things to know about this beautifully creative and engaging show.
1. Where it's set
The jungle of this story isn’t set the wilds of Africa or India, it’s a city; a city that could be our own, that has flooded thanks to extreme weather brought on by climate change.
Humans have abandoned the city, searching for higher ground amidst the rising sea levels, and animals have taken over.
2. The main character
Mowgli, the human hero of the story, is a young girl who has been separated from her parents as they were escaping their drought-ravaged homeland in a container ship. She falls overboard and is washed ashore where she's discovered by a wolf pack and taken into the protection of the animals.
3. The stage set up
The stage has no physical set – in fact it’s virtually empty. The incredible cityscape that you see is created entirely by the use of technology, with stunning hand drawn pictures brought to life and projected onto the stage.
The animated animals were created by drawing over footage of the dancers moving around as their characters. This animation transports the audience into the world of the characters and immerses us in the telling of the story.
4. It's more theatre than dance!
Akram Khan Company is renowned as a dance company but this show is much more of a theatre work, with dialogue used to tell the story. The dancers move to the sound of the script, following the rhythm and tone of their character’s voice as if it were music. The dancers’ bodies really inhabit the animal they are bringing to life on stage and we can see them ‘speaking’ with their movements to tell the story. Their movements not only portray the animal but also its personality. The result is utterly engaging.
Want to know the full story?
Jungle Book reimagined is happening 9 – 17 Feb and is not to be missed!
Book your tickets here.