Winning Beast

James son of James
Barbican

Three Short Works
Royal Opera House

James son of James
Barbican

Three Short Works
Royal Opera House

It is a pity that the definition ‘theatre dance’ is commonly used to indicate any choreographic activity that takes place on stage, for it could be much more effectively used to describe those performances which do not sit that comfortably under the much more genre-specific term ‘dance theatre’. Look, for instance, at Michael Keegan-Dolan’s James son of James. Not unlike the two previous instalments of his Midlands Trilogy, a triptych based on Irish culture and lore, James son of James is mostly a play with fluidly interwoven moments of dance and choreographed movements. It is, therefore, more ‘theatre’ than ‘dance’, even though the latter continuously underscores the action and often provides a subtle commentary on the events. In line with the well-constructed plot of Keegan-Dolan’s memorable Giselle, the trilogy’s first instalment, the narrative in James moves fluidly from hilarious moments to intensely lyrical ones, in a sound crescendo that reaches an emotionally breathtaking ending. Yet, in contrast with Giselle and the following work, The Bull, James son of James stands out for the numerous sung interludes that punctuate the action. But James is no West End musical. With catchy tunes and cheesy movement, each number adds humorously abrasive parody to the unfolding of the drama. The result is a vibrant theatre event, which takes the viewer through a rollercoaster ride of emotions. The story of the outsider who ends up paying for all the wrongs committed by the closed society he tries to fit into might be old hat, but it is the way in which the story is told that makes the final chapter of Keegan-Dolan’s Midlands Trilogy a winner.