Review: Αγρίμι (Fauve), Sadler’s Wells
Photo credit: Maria Toultsa
In the dense, enigmatic landscapes of the forest, human and animal movements intertwine in a complex choreography of carnal and primitive intuition and impulses. Lenio Kaklea’s latest performance, Αγρίμι (Fauve), emerges as a profound exploration of liminal spaces, where identities dissolve and bodies metamorphose.
Lenio Kaklea, an innovative choreographer and performer, has consistently pushed the boundaries of contemporary dance, intertwining themes of identity, body politics, and cultural memory, often including visual and text-based elements in her work. Informed by her Greek heritage and years of training in Paris, she draws from both classical and experimental forms, resulting in performances that examine the construction of self through an anthropological lens. In Αγρίμι (Fauve), Kaklea explores the metaphor of “rewilding,” using the forest as both a social and wild environment—much like urban spaces that have evolved from the same foundations as the natural world.
In this performance, “rewilding” becomes an ecological and philosophical investigation into our relationship with nature. Drawing from European forest mythologies, Kaklea creates an atmosphere where human and animal, natural and supernatural, coexist. In Αγρίμι (Fauve), the forest is more than a backdrop; it is a dynamic, collaborative partner in the choreography.
Kaklea’s choreography is rooted in intricate physicality, where each movement is incredibly articulate. Performers mimic the instinctual motions of animals without fully realising any one creature. This suggests the body itself is a structure, not unlike that of a wild creature, waiting to be used in ways we may have forgotten. Kaklea capitalises on the spatial relationship inherent in dance and connects it to the spatial patterns found in nature, evolving a mathematical movement of everything together governed by patterns.
As the dancers inhabit hybrid beast and human form, they surrender to the impulsive and intuitive, revealing the quiet banality of existence driven purely by survival. Their faces remain largely expressionless removing human emotion from their choices in the space. In the post-show talk, a poignant phrase emerged: “the negotiation with silence.” This idea resonates particularly in the final scenes, when dancers climb metal poles like apes. Despite the immense physical challenge, as they suspend on these “metal trees,” the studio is filled with a profound peace through this vivid image.
The stage, designed by Clio Boboti, presents a minimalist “black box” forest—a practical yet evocative setup allowing for touring adaptability. This simple design places responsibility onto the audience’s imagination, letting them visualise their own ominous or serene wilderness. The interplay of movement, sound, and visual design is hypnotic. Éric Yvelin’s soundscape enhances the primal atmosphere, drawing the audience deeper into Kaklea’s wild vision. Costumes by Olivier Mulin evoke human modernity while winding back into our past; the performers eventually shed their costumes like skin to reveal their naked true selves. This is handled without spectacle, reflecting an acceptance of what we are and have at our disposal.
Technically, the performance shines with precision and intensity, though at times it veers into overly controlled presentation, contrasting with its organic themes. Kaklea’s magnetic stage presence draws the eye, yet her dual role as performer and director sometimes blurs the line between spontaneous engagement and structured control, occasionally distracting from the raw energy the piece aims to convey. Georgios Kotsifakis and Ioanna Paraskevopoulou, meanwhile, inhabit their roles with a more relaxed playfulness, perhaps because they are free from the added responsibilities Kaklea holds.
Αγρίμι (Fauve) is a magnetic encounter with our primal heritage, though structurally, the flow struggles to transition between individual sections. This dilutes the performance’s gravitas, making each section work hard to build anew. However, this does not take away from the conceptual and technical proficiency Kaklea brings to her unique role as a choreographer. It stands as a distinctive contribution to contemporary dance, where Kaklea’s “rewilding” is not just a return to nature but an invitation to see ourselves as part of a larger, wild system—one that resists containment and embraces transformation.
While Αγρίμι (Fauve) contends with some structural challenges, its conceptual and technical achievements make it a captivating exploration of our primal heritage. Kaklea reaffirms her unique voice in dance with this work, creating performances that are as intellectually stimulating as they are viscerally engaging. This piece lays exciting foundations for future explorations of rewilding and identity, cementing Kaklea’s place at the forefront of choreographic innovation.
**** Four stars
Reviewed by: Stephanie Osztreicher
Αγρίμι (Fauve) also plays at Sadler’s Wells this evening (1 November), with further info here.
