Review: THE POWER (OF) THE FRAGILE, Elixir Festival, Sadler’s Wells Theatre

Mohamed Toukabri

In The Power (of) The Fragile, dancer and choreographer Mohamed Toukabri who is originally from Tunisia now working in Belgium, invites his mother Latifa, on stage to present a duet like no other. The two bodies in the space represent two generations, two life experiences but an unbreakable bond. It’s the meeting of two worlds that are both familiar and unfamiliar to each other.

Latifa is not a dancer in any professional sense, although she did dream of becoming one in her youth. The contrast and relationship of Mohamed’s trained youthful body and that of Latina’s ageing untrained one offers a poignant conversation. The compromise, care and challenge both must physically show each other offers some tender moments and an interesting dynamic evolves out of what can be controlled in the space and what cannot be.

The life of the show has had to evolve and respond quite significantly to global and personal events of the last few years. Originally it was supposed to happen pre COVID, however, was for obvious reasons postponed once the pandemic hit. After being rescheduled as restrictions lifted, Latifa was then met with Visa issues that prevented her from travelling between Tunisia where she lives and Belgium where the show was being conceived, thus postponing it once more. All of this frustration fuels the performance which thematically explores not just a mother son relationship but the realities of immigration, separation and life choices at the expense of family or vice versa. It is an autobiographical work with a universal message, or at least this is the overall intention. In the post show talk, Mohamed quotes the phrase “the personal is political” and the distance the two bodies have endured has undoubtedly been facilitated at the hands of others which is an all too common experience.

The main set back of the work is how it can sustain itself. Once the concept is understood it treads the risk of becoming overly sentimental and struggles dramaturgically with finding the flow. However, Latifa with her raw honesty has a gravitas in her presence which is able to bring the focus back in at the right moments.

One of the strongest elements of the performance is its use of dialogue. So often in dance works, the use of text can feel unnecessarily imposed yet here it is so casual and grounded that it seamlessly weaves through the pice. When Latifa delivers a 10 minuet monologue about her life as Mohamed dances her words, the ease of her voice in the space is powerful and lands on Mohamed’s body beautifully.

Strong imagery and brave uses of sound and silence also help the work find moments of intimacy and give it more of a conceptual appeal, however, this element again is not consistent.

This is a work truly captivating but has, potentially, too many ideas happening at once. In ways it feels like a draft that can be defined, however, it is its clumsy moments are also largely endearing. There is something about letting go of what you are supposed to do in the name of love, whether that be about dancing perfectly, accepting the politics that restrict you.

**** Four Stars

Reviewed by Stephane Oszstreicher

For more information click here