BlackBrik Brings 1970s Harlem Soul to Theatre Royal Brighton
Dance company BlackBrik presents its first full-length production The Brown Suite at Theatre Royal Brighton on 3 and 4 November, celebrating soul music and 1970s Harlem culture.
A night of soul and dance
Dance company BlackBrik is bringing its first full-length production to Theatre Royal Brighton this week. The Brown Suite takes audiences to 1970s Harlem through a combination of dance, soul music and theatrical storytelling across two evenings on 3 and 4 November.
The production grew from a duo performance by Nahum McLean and Darius Drooh, the two dancers behind BlackBrik. It has been developed into a full evening-length work with creative producer Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, alongside a team of designers and the eight-strong dance company.
Three acts of romance and rhythm
The Brown Suite is structured in three sections. The opening Pulse and Play depicts young couples meeting on New York streets and catching up with friends. The action then moves to the nightclub The Brown Suite itself for Party and Fracture, where the dancefloor becomes a setting for romance, rivalry and competitive dancing. The final section, Reprise and Release, sees connections rebuilt as dancers return to moments of joy on the dancefloor.
The company features Lukas Hunt as Marcus, Hugo Bragg as Julian, Darius Drooh as Ray, and Nahum McLean, alongside Leila Wright as Denise, Monique Jonas as Angela, and Joshi Martina as Mr New York. Marie Astrid Mence covers additional roles.
Nightclub setting and clever staging
Set and lighting designer Joshie Harriette has created the nightclub setting using vertical neon lights and a sign announcing The Brown Suite. The arrival of Joshi Martina's character, Mr New York, wearing a Harlem All-Stars T-shirt, establishes the location. Martina's performance is described as particularly entertaining, transforming between roles including cleaner, cocktail waiter and DJ with costume changes.
The show features choreography to recordings by Etta James, James Brown, and Sam Cooke, with duets set to At Last and It's a Man's World among the highlights. A doo-wop section featuring Sam Cooke's You Send Me provides a moment of reconciliation between dancers, while a West Side Story-style confrontation set to James Brown's The Payback provides dramatic intensity in the second half.
Small touches of humour enhance the production, including the clever staging of a nightclub toilet scene where the music becomes muffled as characters gossip and adjust their appearance.
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