Review: Political Mother by Hofesh Schechter Company, South Hill Park, by Derek Florey The internationally renowned Hofesh Shechter Company perform their latest sensation, Political Mother, in a unique high-octane dance performance at South Hill Park’s Wilde Theatre .

South Hill Park Arts Centre, Bracknell has for years played host to many international and UK based dance companies as well as developing new works and supporting many up and coming companies ,but Hofesh Shechter Company has enticed a new audience through its doors breaking the boundaries between contemporary dance ,music and theatre.

On Tuesday 28th September I went along to watch a dance performance by Hofesh Shechter called Political Mother. As I entered the into the haze filled theatre I could sense an air of excitement from its audience and I felt that this would be a memorable evening and I certainly was not wrong in this.

Political Mother explodes onto the stage with bursts of enthralling political imagery, seemingly examining such issues as political oppression , political regimes and the demise of one regime over another and also explores the lives of those who have become slaves of a political takeover’s and those who have been set free.

The Performance uses an assortment of techniques to including dance, Rock Music, classical music Drumming, singing and striking lighting which slices effectively and atmospherically across the stage. The Audience are delighted by inspired choreographic movement which although at times was a little repetitive has a tribal feel to it ,with jagged, jutting movements the dancers can be seen with hands held high being swept away by the various political regimes . In other sections we see in contrast a deflated population dressed in prison-like garments moving around the stage as if bound with shackles to there feet. At times the dancers playing supporters of the regime are inspired by military style drummers who play intermittently throughout . The Drumming was often replaced by live guitarists conveying to me the idea that there are strong similarities in the power of music as well as the power of politics . We often saw glimpses of a man who took on the role of a dictator seeing this totally gripping enactment one could not help but notice a link with many modern day world leaders as well as dictators from the past the audience were lucky enough to receive a unique performance of this character by none other than Hofesh Shechter himself.

As A Political Mother continues its tour internationally and within the UK I am fairly certain that audiences will be captured by the show’s intensity and strong ability to keep an audience enraptured. This cleverly executed production provides you with many suspense filled moments and atmosphere that was simply electric.