Afternoon:
8°c
Sarah Frater's rating
Hoods take hip-hop out of the ghetto
By
Sarah Frater
27 Mar 2008
When ZooNation announced it was bringing its hip-hop show Into the Hoods into the West End, those who saw it at the Peacock Theatre in 2006 couldn’t work out why. Two years ago it was a larky hip-hop panto, with good jokes and great moves but it was hardly a hit, and, if we’re honest, parts of it looked more like a youth workshop than something Cameron Mackintosh would have in one of his refurbed theatres.
Since its 2006 incarnation the show has been edited, pruned and reworked. It is longer but tighter, with a clearer storyline and dancing that drives the action rather than just decorates it. There have also been two runs in Edinburgh, plus what looks like considerable investment, with more costumes and better video projections that both locate the action and time-travel the characters through the story.
This is a clever, funny, good humoured take on Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods. The result is a ghetto fabulous fairy tale, with characters from Cinderella (Spinderella, a would-be DJ), Little Red Riding Hood (Lil Red, a would-be singer), Jack and the Beanstalk (Jaxx, who lives in the basement), and Rapunzel (Rap-on-Zel, whose extra-long extensions work wonders for her love life).
They live on Ruff Endz estate, a high-rise hell where the rubbish isn’t collected and the security doesn’t work. Drugs, debt and truancy also feature. Into this urban wasteland come two lost children, and their adventure unfolds via spoofs, film and punch-the-air routines. The soundtrack is a great patchwork (Prince, Barry White, etc), and the dancers are all appealing, although Teneisha Bonner’s charisma marks her Spinderlla out. The child actor-dancers are also excellent.
One or two sections are less good (the Lil Red solo is uneven), and parts of the show are still faintly workshopy, but director-choreographer Kate Prince deserves credit for a genuine piece of hip-hop dance theatre.
Not everyone believes hip-hop has the dramatic range to tell stories, and, excepting shows like Renee Harris’s Rome + Jules, there are few examples to prove them wrong. Into the Hoods is one, and it’s good fun.
Until 10 May. Information: 0844 482 5138, www.intothehoods.com.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Reader views (8)
Amazing 10/10 the dancing is worth it, story line and poems are brilliant - am going to see again had so much fun!
- Hayley, Watford, 14/07/2008 15:21
Report abuse
Wow, just got in from seeing into the hoods and was left speechless was a totally fantastic show was by far the best show I ve ever seen. In fact I m booking to go again. Its a must, you cant miss out 10/10 loved it. What amazing talent!
- Joe Reeve, england, 07/07/2008 23:49
Report abuse
Into the hoods is the most amazing dancing musical production I have seen in a while. I remember seeing it first at Sadler's Wells. I loved it so much I followed it to the Edinburgh Festival and saw it again the other day at the Novello Theatre! The whole group is so energetic, they make you want to jump up and dance with them and the children involved are just phenomenal! There is so much talent within this group!
Zoonation just keep getting better and better every year and right now they're on top of the game so You'd be silly to miss this one, its fantastic!
- Jessica Boateng, London, UK, 28/03/2008 19:31
Report abuse
Went to see this last night with my mate. We weren't sure what to expect but we were completely blown away by it all. The poet / wordsmith at the start was very eloquent and whilst funny provided food for thought with his words.
As for the actual show, the dancing, energy, music was just fantastic - never seen anything like it in the West End. We left buzzing.
- Flo, London, UK, 28/03/2008 12:30
Report abuse
I went to see Into the Hoods on Tuesday night with my 17 year old daughter We thought it was fantastic!!!
The music,the dancing the energy It was a truly amazing show.
This is the show that will encourage our youngsters to visit the theatre.
A five star performance in my opinion.
- Dawn Henry, Leyton London, 28/03/2008 11:50
Report abuse
I'm not the biggest fan of theatre, and particularly musical theatre. But after seeing Into the Hoods on Friday night - I was simply blown away.
It was not like any show I have ever seen, or likely to see - and I mean that in the best way possible. The show starts, or rather the show doesn't start straight away, instead we get a poet/wordsmith come out on stage for 30 minutes. Now this I don't get.. the show itself runs for 90mns so I presume they have to 'add' extra. So we get a rather stilted odd intro which doesn’t really add anything.
From the seconds the first beats strike up, its then 90 minutes of frenetic non-stop dancing, music, laughter and energy. The choreography is sublime, and although the set just consists of a back screen, the dancers make the stage look fit to bursting. The story is narrative and music led, and its a clever patchwork of music from the past 30 years. Whether you're 15 or 45 - you'll recognise some tunes and its full of post-modern cultural references throughout.
The ZooNation dance company, where all the dancers come from are of the highest calibre, and each character has their own style which works as a whole. The show is frenetic, there's no interval once the guys get going, and the show iis all the better for this, as at the end you're left revitalised, refreshed and energised.I hope the show gets the plaudits and success it deserves as its one of the most original and enjoyable London shows I've seen in a long time. Go see it!
- Gary Mazin, London, UK, 28/03/2008 09:13
Report abuse
I agree with Geoff and so do all fifteen of my friends who I brought to the show. I notice that you did not even mention Fairy Gee or some of the better characters.
I agree with the comment on Lil Red as she always seemed to be out of time with the other dancers but she still had skill and Spinderella's abs were just crazy.
- Lindsay, London, 28/03/2008 07:00
Report abuse
Sometimes I read reviews and I can't understand why the stars given don't match the review. This is a classic example.
I watched Into the Hoods last night, the same show as your reviewer. The atmosphere was electric, the audience totally hooked and everybody was on their feet at the end. If "faintly workshoppy" is the best criticism you can come up with then why only give this three stars?
Let's be honest. This show is something totally different from the normal West End fare, and incredibly refreshing as a result. Let's make the most of new shows that will engage new audiences and embrace them and applaud them?
Last night I saw a five-star show, looks like your reviewer was too busy trying to pick holes and forgot to enjoy herself.
- Geoff, Bromley, UK, 27/03/2008 14:38
Report abuse
