‘Songs of the Bulbul’ – Aakash Odedra’s Kathak solo is astonishing…

Showing at Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford for the remaining two nights (until Saturday with a matinee)… the artist also talked about how this work came about (see also our video interview) and apologises for falling off stage last night ( though it looked intentional and part of the performance)…

MESMIRISING, intense, reflective and centrally about translating pain into beauty, ‘Songs of the Bulbul’ is both Aakash Odedra’s most personal – and universal recent show.

An Indian classical dance piece created around Kathak – the principal dance style developed in North India, ‘Songs of the Bulbul’ mixes Kathak with Sufi music and dance – some of its moves are similar to the whirling dervishes and a Muslim Sufi order known as the Mevlevis who originated from 13th century Turkey and were inspired by the poet Rumi.

Kathak itself is confluence of dance style and movements that developed in both Hindu and Muslim royal courts on the Indian subcontinent.

It’s a little difficult to pigeonhole and label such dance styles as being from that tradition or this – what is amazing about ‘Songs of the Bulbul’ is the way it integrates so many different feelings, moods and styles – successfully, it should be said.

Odedra assumes the form of the bulbul or nightingale with a loose shawl representing wings and charts its life from birth to death and a lot in between.

Based on a famous Persian folktale – the bulbul’s tunes get ever melodious in relation to its physical suffering – the greater the pain, the more beauty will be the tune it sings. Whether there is any truth in this we simply don’t know – or whether Royals to whom these birds were – gifted by subjects – really subjugated or ‘trained’ in this way, as the tale describes, who knows…

First, the bird is caged and then slowly over time the amount of light permitted into the cage is reduced, until there is darkness and then the bird is blinded and knows it is not long for this world.

Odedra captivates us on stage with a physicality and beauty that borders on the bewildering…his body moves with such fluency and grace, he almost assumes the form of a mythical creature, half man, half small bird.

Taken together with composer Rushil Ranjan’s epic score which blends cinematic orchestral sound with Qawwali in different parts of the show – this all represents a powerful and effecting unspoken dialogue that should only be further explored.

In the short post Q&A with Sadler’s Wells CEO and artistic director Sir Alistair Spalding, Odedra talked about his mother’s suicide being the way into him to create this unique solo and about him, “translating the pain into beauty”.

He told the audience that talk about this sort of work first came about in 2016 and much of the early heavy lifting, if we can put it that way, was done with Rani Khanam, the Delhi based Sufi dance and music specialist, some time later.

Odedra, an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells, was presented with a list of potential collaborators during lockdown by Sir Alistair. He was looking ahead and beyond the pandemic at what productions Odedra could work on.

The choreographer-dancer said that during lockdown he faced a particular form of dislocation.

“I did not feel connected to dance,” he admitted. “There were only two names on that list – Aditi Mangaldas and Rani Khanam that did.”

He also told Sir Alistair the only element that connected him to dance in any way, was Kathak itself.

Odedra had to go back to the source of all his inspiration.

Following his mother’s suicide in 2020 and working in isolation or in remote conversation initially with Khanam, they developed ‘Songs of the Bulbul’.

“Working with Rani was a real blessing, she is like poetry in motion – in everything that she does, the way she speaks, the articulation, every aspect of her is incredible and she’s super sensitive and she has that ability to piece into your soul.”

Over time, with Khanam taking the lead, they shaped this work.

Odedra also talked to www.asianculturevulture.com before it had seen the show about the role played by Khanam and Ranjan in creating ‘Songs of the Bulbul’. (See below).

In the Q&A section, Odedra elaborated his artistic process and relationship with them – describing Ranjan as “a genius” and him initially presenting a piece of music, saying “it wasn’t very good” but it turning out to be of a high standard and ready to be shaped into work.

“He is like a brother to me, we are very open, I can tell him when it’s rubbish, I generally don’t hold back. He’s never actually made anything which is rubbish, maybe that is weird,” Odedra explained, chuckling.

In the audience questions section, he talked about dying on stage each time he performed and revealed that he hadn’t intended to come off the stage as he had done at one point during last night’s performance (July 17).

“Sorry to the person, I gave a lap dance to,” he recounted humorously. “The stage wasn’t taped and I couldn’t see where the end of it was and was blindfolded.”

He also told the audience that each candle that appears in the show had been hand carved and was from Sicily.

“You wouldn’t believe the level of detail that has gone into this show,” Odedra shared.

This is a stunning piece and has universal appeal and Sadler’s Wells must take it on an international tour – acv is convinced that anyone with even a broad or casual interest in any form of dance performance would be captivated and enthralled. And that is to say nothing of those who think dance is not for them…

Acv rating: ***** (five out of five)

Listing
Songs of the Bulbul until Saturday, July 19
Sadler’s Wells East, Stratford Walk, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London E20 2AR
https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/aakash-odedra-songs-of-the-bulbul/