The Ballerina

Nested in the manifold tunnels underneath Waterloo Station, The Vaults offers a varied array of spaces that fittingly host the assorted performances of Vault Festival – finally back in full swing since the pandemic. One area, dubbed The Cavern, is the perfect setting for theatre company Khaos’s production of The Ballerina, which debuted at Theaterlab New York City in early 2019 and finally arrives in London with the 2023 edition of the festival. The space is aptly reminiscent of a dungeon or prison in a distant and unidentified African country, where Colin Clutterbuck (played by Dominique Izabella Little) is interrogated and tortured under suspicion of being a spy. First claiming to be a diplomat, the woman confesses her attempted career as a classical dancer. During the ordeal, she enters into a revealing dialogue with her inquisitor, Pacifique Muamba (Edward Nkom).

James Barnes directs Anne-Sophie Marie’s script, based on a true story, as a fast-paced verbal duel. The show calls the audience’s attention to the fragility of democracy in politically unstable countries and the methods both covertly and openly used by the regimes. The spotlight is also on hostile governments, with the debate highlighting in particular the relationship between violence and politics.

The first part is configured as a confrontation peppered with teasing between the two protagonists, although Pacique soon turns out to be the leading voice. Nkom is polished and assertive in his performance, whereas his counterpart tries to embrace the defenceless and stubborn victim, but without the same impactful rendering. The sequences towards the end benefit from more grotesque presences entering the cell, however, the dynamic remains a bit stiff. 

Sound design by Magnus Westwell touches all the right points in the narrative, and the rumbling of the trains above the space is an effective complement in this sense. The play of light and shadow dramatically heightens the tension as the exchange between Colin and Pacifique digs deeper into the inquisitor’s mind and values, via some banter and a glimpse into broader reflections on subversive and oppressive systems.

Cristiana Ferrauti

The Ballerina is at the Vaults from 31^st January until 5^th February 2023. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.