The Wedding Dance

Published Wednesday 7 February 2007 at 16:40 by Natalie Anglesey

Sensual Salsa, with all its seductive qualities, runs through this world premiere, which incorporates serious soul searching into the past and present lives of its characters. A co-production between the Octagon and the London-based NITRO theatre company, which concentrates on issues that concern black people, it cleverly combines music, dance and drama.

Subtly directed by Felix Cross, who conceived and wrote it, it’s a vibrant and totally accessible work which is a study of relationships and an examination of the destructiveness of lust compared to love.

The Cuban Casanova of the dance floor, Jose, who has abandoned his medical studies to teach salsa in London, is superbly played by David Gyasi, who dances like a dream but possesses a fatal, ruthless streak. In a charismatic performance, he manages to seduce the audience, as well as his students All the men want to be like him, while the women want to be with him.

There’s another good performance from Troy Titus-Adams, as Kathleen, Jose’s dancing partner, who is also great on the dance floor. Madeline Appiah and Anthony Mark Barrow play the young, naive bride and groom whose lives are changed forever by their encounter with Jose.

The plot skips back and forward in time and there’s some symbolic references to the past and their African roots but you’re never too far away from the rhythmic beat of salsa music, composed by Alex Wilson and some terrific dancing.

A must for all salsa fans.