REVIEW: OUR TIME @ LYRIC HAMMERSMITH

🎭 Our Time

📍  Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Lyric Square, King Street, London W6 0QL

🗓 Saturday 25th October 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A TENDER, INCLUSIVE TRIBUTE

Amici Dance Theatre Company has a magical way of creating truly special, life-affirming theatre, and OUR TIME is a magnificent testament to that. Directed by Michael Vale, this powerful and often beautifully raw piece is a loving tribute to the company's late founder Wolfgang Stange, and his partner, artist George Beven.

Alongside the production itself, there was an exhibition called OUR HISTORY, which also honoured Stange's life and legacy. It featured candid photography, old show posters, personal artifacts and audio interviews with company members sharing their experiences.

The performance is not always conventionally slick, nor is it meant to be. This is a show brimming with heart, humanity, and above all, a profound sense of community. The cast, a wonderfully diverse company of disabled and non-disabled performers of all ages, come together to tell a story of love, life, and legacy. The use of integrated wheelchairs and a breathtaking ballet number, where a dancer is lifted onto her pointe shoes, powerfully subverts expectations of what dance can be. It is here that the true spirit of Amici shines brightest, and I found this section in particular to be utterly compelling and awe inspiring.

Live music from composers Nao Masada, Jenny Adejayan and Charis Morgan adds a rich, atmospheric layer to the proceedings, alternating with recorded numbers that guide the narrative. At first I was confused by this, wondering why all the music wasn't played live, but actually it worked well and made complete sense in the context of the storytelling.

If I'm being really picky, there were occasions where the stage felt a little overstuffed with the ensemble, and I couldn't work out whether the chaos this created was a brilliant or messy creative decision! At times the flow of the storytelling felt a little disjointed and not as strong as it could have been. However, these small imperfections were completely overshadowed by the sheer emotional power of the work.

Alan Bowyer's projection design is a standout, transporting us from bustling London to idyllic Sri Lanka, before a sombre return to Berlin under the shadow of the Wall. The sequence depicting the tearing of a vast paper wave, evoking a tsunami, is a particularly theatrical and visually stunning moment.

What makes this production such a success in my opinion is its unflinching sincerity. It is a show built on acceptance and compassion, and the immense care that the performers have for each other can be felt across the auditorium.

The finale is absolutely joyous and leaves you with a huge smile on your face as it celebrates not just Stange and Beven, but the boundless potential of human connection. Pulling audience members onto the stage after the bows for a heartening dance of complete gala of humanity in all its forms was an incredible moment.

Go for the heart, but stay for the humanity. This is truly inspiring stuff.

Performances of OUR TIME have now concluded, but look out for more from this group of artists in residence at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. Head to their website here to learn more about their extraordinary work, their groundbreaking performances, workshops, and future works. One thing's for sure, they've got a new fan in me and I can't wait to see what's next from them. You cannoot underestimate the importance of the work that they are doing.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of Our Time was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

FULL CAST LIST:

Wolfgang Stange - Ross Black

George Beven - Gurpreet Dosanjh

Graduate Dancers - George Linehan; Lottie Nunn; Ross Black (Supported by Abderrahim Crickmay Charitable Settlement)

Professional Artists - Alex Harvey; Charlotte Mooney

Margot Fontain - Suzie Birchwood

Rudolf Nureyev - George Linehan

Drag Queen - Ebony Rose Dark

Guards - Alexis Smith; Anais Marchand; David Grant; Delson Weekes; Ekeama Henry- Ferrazzi; Godfrey Leak; John Athnasious; Kirsty Liddell; Oscar Pollock; Sarah Williams

Tanks - David Grindley; Frankie Slevin; Liz Greeley

Grandmother - Wilma Serial

Amici Ensemble - Aaya Twebti; Abigail Simon; Aime Bosc Nikolov; Alexis Smith; Anais Marchand; Angela Contucci; Anna Niman; Barbara Lawrence; Catherine Goodwin; Chihiro Masuda; Colin McLean; Colm Gallagher; David Grant; David Grindley; Delson Weekes; Ebony Rose Dark; Frankie Slevin; Godfrey Leak; Hilary Beard; Ingrid Molinos; Janee Hall; John Athnasious; Kirsty Liddell; Linda Chan; Liz Greeley; Lynne Humpheson; Nada Sabet; Nicholas Perez-Serial; Oscar Pollock; Richard Glazer; Rosie Leak; Ray Pierson; Sarah Williams; Segen Nega; Stephanie Gallagher; Stuart Cowie; Suzie Birchwood; Wilma Serial; Zahra Abdesselam

Young Ensemble - Annabel Kew; Ekeama Henry-Ferrazzi; Filippo Maria De Martino; Jasmine Ghifari; Morven Abberley; Orla Flahive; Peter Williams; Soline Smith; Tim Harden

Amici Kids - Galla Tetteh-Lartey Molinos; Ida H Mooney

Musicians - Charis Morgan; Jenny Adejayan; Noa Masuda

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 15 minutes, with no interval

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