Review: KANTHA KATHA-K, Amina Khayyam Dance Company - Birmingham Hippodrome

Photo credit: Simon Richardson

Created from engagement with women’s groups in a creative outreach project via WhatsApp during lockdown, Kantha Katha-K is a performance/installation narrating these stories and COVID-19 experiences.

Kantha is a traditional form of embroidery from South Asia, using a simple running stitch and daily life to inspire embroidery stories often showcasing nature, the sun, oceans, animals, and the cosmic universe. 

Kathak is a form of storytelling, with its origins in the nomadic bards of ancient Northern India. Its form today has traces of temple and ritual dances, and shows an influence of the bhakti movement (a movement in medieval Hinduism that sought to bring religious reforms to society).

The piece is choregraphed by Amina Khayyam and performed by her company, alongside music composed by Jonathan Mayer, adapted from Borodin’s Nocturne.

The costumes, designed by Abeda Begum, are simple but effective and complement the movement of the company, but with the positioning of the large installation pieces, some of the storytelling is lost as audience sight lines are unintentionally blocked.

Dancers Jane Chan, Abirami Eswar, Sushma Vala and Amina Khayyam are focused throughout, their movements and gestures aligned throughout to create stories of isolation, entrapment, confusion and the release of normality regained.

It is a beautiful piece with its roots in real life and real people’s feelings, and the artwork created through this project is an extension of the performance; they complement each other successfully.

A traditional telling of a very modern circumstance.

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Rachel Louise Martin.

Kantha Katha-K plays at Birmingham Hippodrome until 21 September, with tickets available here.