Contemporary dance, like contemporary theatre can take many guises.  To the unfamiliar it may appear baffling or overly technical or even, dare whisper it, pretentious.  It can also be thrilling, challenging and downright entertaining.  Thank goodness the Mark Bruce Company falls firmly in the latter category.

Return to Heaven takes as its central narrative an exploration into, at first, a jungle with references to ancient Egypt, with further forays into the world of 1950’s American B movies and David Lynch horror along the way.  However, the non-linear telling along with the dazzling array of scene and mood changes requires the audience to let themselves go with the flow and be immersed in the action in front of them. Occasionally abstruse, but never dull the cast of six lead us through an intensely cinematic journey into mystery.  At times we are travelling with Indiana Jones, then battling the Creature from the Black Lagoon and suddenly landing in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’.  Occasionally we slip into a soft silky Caribbean themed Latin groove, but all the while the six jaw-droppingly talented dancers perform wonders. Each one is classically trained with many graduating from the Rambert School with whom Mark Bruce has a strong connection.  They are all superb.  Eleanor Duval takes the lead, but it is an ensemble piece and together they flow like liquid gold across the stage.

The creative canvass upon which they work is a large one as the scenery and effects take up a wide field of view.  Lighting by Guy Hoare along with set design by Phil Eddols is imaginative, meticulous and exciting. Sharp lighting changes permit intensely dramatic shifts in direction with performers seeming to appear out of nowhere.  The music choice is equally as eclectic and selections include Penderecki, PJ Harvey, Nick Cave and a healthy dose of Harry Belafonte.  It shouldn’t work, but it does. 

There are some scenes which stick in the memory and recounting them sounds like the whole thing is a mish mash, but the combination of wit and strangeness gets into the brain like a heady gothic brew.  A space ship crashing into earth, a Mummy’s coffin opened to reveal a tall headless man and the terribly realistic huge black insect which entwines a character before dragging her down to its underground lair.  And if that’s not enough, there’s more weirdness to follow.    

The dancers appear in an assortment of costumes designed by Dorothee Brodrück  ranging from the sensual to the surreal which together with make-up makes an almost operatic grandeur.   

The whole piece is written, choreographed and directed by Mark Bruce who must be one of the most entertainingly brave proponents of dance anywhere.  I’d love to see the reaction of the company when he tells them what he has in mind.  

If you like dance which is cutting edge, quirky and flirting with ambiguity, then this is definitely for you.  And if you don’t, you need to go anyway as you will be in for a superb theatrical treat.    ★★★★★     Bryan Mason   6^th February 2020