Review: DIVERSITY: SUPERNOVA, UK Tour
Britain’s Got Talent winners Diversity are back on the road with their new futuristic show Supernova. Fifteen years since triumphing over Susan Boyle, the street dance crew are currently performing across the United Kingdom on their twelfth National tour.
The premise behind the show is pretty shallow, an 8-year-old boy has a dream of exploring the stars. However, to tell this story over a two-hour show would need substantial depth and the vision by Ashley Banjo is nothing short of exemplary. Flash forward to a troubled pop star who crashes his car heading home from a gig and ends up in a coma. We then venture inside their mind as many different scenarios play out in front of us exploring the shows many themes including bullying and infatuation.
The show opens with spoken word artist Dujon ‘Scoop’ Thomson narrating the story in rhyme. The dialogue was also projected across one of the large screens on stage, making the material accessible for the multi aged audience. A commendable act to showcase others within their industry and provide a further platform for performers. Featuring a variety of dance styles and scenes from venturing inside their toybox from childhood (with dancing Power Rangers and Pokémon) to the fabrication of fear and doubt battling with potentially imaginary demons.
Due to the indisposition of perhaps the most well-known Diversity member Ashley Banjo (due to injury), fellow member Warren Russell took on the lead role for this performance. Together with the rest of Diversity this high intensity show is full of energy and stands as a testament to their legacy. Infusing street and break dance within several numbers the audience were delighted with the tricks and flips on display whilst also showcasing a broader spectrum of dancing styles adding variety and interest to each number.
True to their name Diversity showcase a range of dancing abilities with innovation and allows their performers to grow and be challenged. Sergio ‘Checho’ Carvaj gave an emotional performance leaving a lump in the audience’s throat as Sigma and Birdy ‘Find Me’ sounded around the theatre. As part of Ill-abilities international breakdance crew it was truly inspiring to see a performer with a physical disability defying the odds and putting on such an incredible performance. The storyline illustrates that each and every one of us faces moments of fear, anxiety and judgement but also reminds us there are glimmers of hope at a time when the world can seem challenging.
Music takes on such an important form within dance performances and the synergy between the two was electric. From popular classics like Usher U Got It Bad and Outkast’s Hey Ya to the more recent classics like Stormzy’s Blinded By Your Grace. Add in the incredible lighting and set design (Peter Barnes) and the endless number of props and this show is a visual spectacle that would’ve be out of place on an arena stage with thousands of people watching. Supernova offers something for every audience goer and it was an honour to witness the performance within The Lowry, Salford. One would expect nothing less than slick and sharp choreography at a Diversity show but other elements aligning together are what made this show such a triumph.
Supernova is more than dancing, this is a truly epic theatrical spectacle. Delving into the emotions of audience members throughout there is an abundance of content to connect and relate to within the performance. The popular dance crew have done it again and Diveristy’s latest show is out of this world.
***** Five Stars
Reviewed by: Jordan Potts
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