Pied Piper

Got to watch the Pied Piper hmmmm…. For those who don’t know it’s a modern day version of the poem by Robert Browning and the rats are replaced by hoodies, who the government want stamped out. The pied piper is played by Kenrick ‘H20’ Sandy who also choreographed the play which infuses hip-hop street dance. I wasn’t aware that this play won an Olivier Award (I will soon become an Olivier expert after my hiccup on radio tut tut- private joke!)
The problem is that I have watched other theatre performances that incorporate street dance and in comparison the Pied Piper doesn’t come as close. Some of the scenes were way too long and there was way too much emphasis on the fighting/dancing. The story line wasn’t that clear cut and a little narrative would have helped clarify the confusion. I also think playing music that people are familiar with doesn’t hurt, it gives them something to relate too. However the calibre of dancing was good and the fact it has progressed from Stratford to the Barbican is a bonus!