The BAFTA winning TV series, ‘Peaky Blinders’ ran from 2013 to 2022 developing a cult following for its gritty period setting, cinematography and soundtrack. The notorious Peaky Blinders gang was allegedly based on a real group of youths of the 1910s. It follows the criminal activities of the Shelby family, particularly Tommy Shelby, war hero turned gangster as they build a mafia-style empire in Birmingham.
Now its creator Steven Knight has adapted the narrative into a thrilling, contemporary dance drama, choreographed by Benoit Swan Pouffer, artistic director of Rambert, complemented by an electrifying musical score performed on stage by a live band.
Through the murky mist of Flanders Battlefield, the opening scene visualises the horror of the trenches and the violence of open combat experienced by young British soldiers during the Great War. The wailing screech of cello strings adds to the haunting chill of the atmosphere as a recorded voice of the narrator introduces the Shelby brothers with Tommy, the leader of the pack. In army uniform, they appear lost, vulnerable and shell shocked, marching with mechanised robotic movement, without any moral sense of human emotion - ‘you young men are dead inside’.
Demob happy, the boys are back in Birmingham and hard physical labour amidst the fiery heat of the steel works, while for the Peaky Blinders, war heroes turned gangsters, the fight continues on the mean city streets. Now their street cred dress code is a sharp and smart shirt, tie, tweed waistcoat and coat and of course, the slouchy peaked cap, with a glint of a razor blade stitched to the rim, lowered over the eyes.
Standing in a Chorus Line. the guys launch into a cool, jazzy dance routine, with such slick crossover footwork, almost tap dancing with the steady rhythmic beat of Red Right Hand, by Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. Oozing such menacing mood and manner, Tommy is in charge of this gang warfare:
'He’s a ghost, he’s a god, he’s a man, he’s a guru
They’re whispering his name across this disappearing land
But hidden in his coat is a red right hand'.
(The title of the iconic anthem is borrowed from Milton’s poem Paradise Lost which symbolises the forces of heaven and hell in a God and Devil dogfight.)
Tommy Shelby, the protagonist is an alluring and manipulative figure, striking a combination of fear and awe everywhere he goes, seemingly part deity, part demon. But he falls under the spell of the beautifully seductive, Grace, a femme fatale and undercover agent on a mission to get close to Tommy’s heart and thereby his violent gun toting gang.
And so the story slowly unfolds through a whirlwind of intoxicating romance, corruption and revenge as the Peaky Blinders face a cultural clash with the rival Irish and Italian communities. The shimmering, shadowy stage set features a vast platform in the centre like a castle moat which cleverly transfers the action from Flanders, factory and fairground to racecourse, nightclub and opium den.
The pulsating powerful beat of the brilliantly conceived soundtrack featuring hard rock – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Roman GianArthur, Laura Mvula, Radiohead, - jazz, Irish folk tunes and classical. This blend of menacing and melancholic music drives the slickly paced choreography through energetic fight scenes – think Jets v. Sharks, ‘West Side Story’ - to raunchy ensemble numbers and a slow balletic pas de deux.
The wardrobe of meticulous costumes capture the authentic 1920s fashion and flair. Reminiscent of the Kit Kat Club, Grace (a sassy, sultry performance by Naya Lovell) and ensemble dazzle in glittering sequins and slinky silk while the equally glamorous men parade in tuxedos and double-breasted suits.
With no dialogue, key points of the plot are illuminated by the Narrator with the resonant, lilting voice of the late Benjamin Zephaniah: Tommy cannot cope with the grief of death, facing his own dark, emotional demons, ‘the wound got deeper and deeper’ as he desperately seeks redemption in heaven or hell. From hardman to heartbroken, centre stage throughout, Conor Kerrigan portrays his psychological nightmare with soulful despair.
With such original, imaginative vision, this artistic collaboration between Benoit Swan Pouffe, Steven Knight and Roman GianArthur has created a truly spectacular theatrical experience: Beautiful, breathtaking, brutal, this is both a Gothic filmic drama and a modern Rock Ballet synchronised seamlessly with exquisite, exhilarating harmony.
Utterly sensational.
Show times:
1 – 5 October, 2024 Evenings, 7.30pm. + Saturday matinee, 2.30pm.
Tickets from £24
https://www.capitaltheatres.com/whats-on/all-shows/peaky-blinders-rambert/2251#tickets
UK tour: www.peakyblindersdance.com