Some Like It Hip Hop at Peacock Theatre London

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Wed 23 Oct 2019 - Sat 09 Nov 2019

Merging drama with exciting, jaw-dropping dance, this acclaimed show from ZooNation is a clever musical that offers much more than just hip hop.



Some Like It Hip Hop is back on a UK tour, eight years after its zany storyline and atmospheric show impressed audiences and earned it an Oliver Award nomination.

Zoonation: The Kate Prince Company will be performing it at London's Peacock Theatre from 23 October to 9 November.

I caught the show earlier in the tour at Birmingham Hippodrome and it hasn't lost the energy and buzz that brought this tale of love, mistaken identity and female empowerment to life.



Fitting around the soulful R'n'B songs and dance music is a clever plot inspired by Billy Wilder's famous film Some Like It Hot and Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, which makes it appealing across generations.

With a grand futuristic set it recreates a world where books are banned and women are restricted to being cleaners and waiting on men, while anyone who breaks the rules is kicked out of the city walls to fend for themselves.

The story centres around two funny, likeable women Jo-Jo and Kerri who pretend to be men because they have had enough. Yet while getting ahead in the city under disguise, things are complicated when Jo-Jo falls in love with book-loving Simeon and a young mysterious woman makes waves on her return to the city.

Crossdressing antics, love, mistaken identity and an ultimate uprising against the leader are all packed into this entertaining character-led show - and then there's the dancing.



With a cast made up of mainly hip hop dancer/actors (with a few singers and musicians too), there's an authenticity to the dance sequences. You can see why when they all get chance to individually freestyle for a relaxed finale after the story ends.

They make the most difficult moves look effortless. A forward somersault from a standing position before bending into near-splits and back up again - no problem. Robot moves that are on another level and street dancing in exact symmetry from a line-up of fine dancers.

Christian Alozie as the big bad Governor is a towering presence on stage with unbelievable moves. He is also the Creative Director of Flawless Entertainment outside of the show.

All the iconic moves from the Running Man to The Prep and The Butterfly get an airing plus much much more.

Added to that is plenty of audience interaction through excellent MC and narrator for the show, Dwayne Nosworthy, who you can't help but like.



The creative team behind this madcap, enthusiastic show is Felix Harrison and choreographer Kate Prince - an Associate Artist at the Old Vic and at Sadler's Wells, where ZooNation is also a Resident Company.

Kate Prince also directed and wrote the lyrics, which can be especially poignant when dealing with women coping with harassment and living in a masochistic world.

There's a breathless pace to this musical and the constant flow is what makes it so appealing, particularly to younger members of the audience who don't tire of the action.

Exciting, fun and full of impressive hip hop routines, Some Like It Hip Hop is enthralling on so many levels. Don't miss its welcome return.

RATING: & #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9733 ;& #9734 ;

The running time is around 2 hours 15 mins.

Cast: Christian Alozie, Lindon Barr, Melissa Bravo, Bradley Charles, Ebony Clarke, Saskia Davis, Idney De'Almeida, Sheree DuBois, Tommy Franzen, Royston Gooden, Natasha Gooden, Lizzie Gough, Jade Hackett, Anelisa Lamola, Kino McHugh, Michael Naylor, Dwayne Nosworthy, Aaron Nuttall, Andry Oporia, Delano Spenrath, DJ Walde, Eliotte Williams-N'Dure.

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!date 23/10/2019 -- 09/11/2019
%wnlondon