A DEEPLY POIGNANT PORTRAYAL OF TRAUMA, SURVIVAL, AND RESILIENCE

By Molly Hayes | Molly Hayes ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Press Invite

It’s a fact of life that everything can change in just a split second. For dancer Marc Brew, this came when he was involved in a car accident in South Africa that resulted in his paraplegia. an Accident / a Life at Sadler’s Wells East chronicles the devastation of the crash, of which he was the sole survivor, and the beginnings of his recovery. Choreographed by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, it was a deeply poignant portrayal of trauma, survival, and resilience.

As the lights went out to start the show, we were instantly transported to the scene of the crash that changed Brew’s life forever. The disorientating soundtrack gave me a pit in my stomach as Brew talked through the horrific night of the crash. There were also two faceless dancers onstage, who followed Brew with a camera, and the captured close-up footage was projected onto four large screens, enhancing the intimacy of the performance and ensuring we could not look away.

This dance memoir was full of stunning moments, including a sequence in which Brew demonstrated how he could only communicate using plastic letters on a whiteboard by placing them on the bonnet of the car, which was hanging from above. There was also a clip of Brew’s mother, who, when asked about how she dropped everything at home in Australia to support Brew in the South African hospital, simply replied with “You don’t think about things like that”, which was devastatingly moving.

There were also humorous instances throughout, such as Marc Brew’s jovial singing of Toto’s ‘Africa’ and ‘I’ve Been Everywhere’ when expressing his love of both South Africa and his homeland, Australia. However, this at times felt a bit awkward and not as strong as the piece’s serious moments. Also, in the conclusion of an Accident / a Life, Brew declared how he had to learn to live again after coming to terms with his disability. To me, it felt like an abrupt point to end on, and I would’ve liked to have seen more of how he did learn to live again, but maybe that’s a story for another time.

Despite the adversity he faced, Marc Brew definitely proved his dance ability is as strong as ever. Every movement he made was beautifully expressive, and I was blown away by his flexibility. One moment that I was particularly moved by was his final dance performed while in a wheelchair, which stunningly chronicled his journey to acceptance of his new body. I also have to commend Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui for his wonderful choreography. an Accident / a Life is a fascinating real-life story and a testament to Marc Brew’s talent, courage, and spirit. It was excellent.

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Photo Credit: Filip Van Roe