REVIEW: Chotto Desh - A Poetic Journey of Belonging Between Cultures

©️ photography by Camilla Greenwell

There’s something gently magical about walking into a theatre and finding a story that speaks to both children and adults without ever talking down to either. Chotto Desh, Akram Khan Company’s reimagined version of his earlier solo DESH, does just that. Drawing on Khan’s own experiences of growing up between Britain and Bangladesh, it transforms a deeply personal story into one that feels both intimate and universal. It becomes a tender exploration of memory, identity and the call of home.

The performance opens with a simple yet curious moment. The protagonist, played by Jasper Narvaez, is trying to fix his mobile phone and ends up speaking to a twelve-year-old child in Bangladesh. From this light, almost comic exchange unfolds a layered narrative of heritage and self-discovery, the story of a British-Bangladeshi-Filipino boy tracing his roots between two worlds.

At first glance, the stage appears almost bare, a neutral space suspended between here and nowhere. But as the tale develops, sound, light and movement gradually transform it into the bustling, sun-drenched streets of Bangladesh. Through Narvaez’s fluid physicality, we sense the dense crowds, the street vendors, the heat, and the relentless energy of daily life. For a child born in London, this place of heritage feels both strange and familiar, vivid, chaotic, and utterly alive.

One of the most endearing moments comes when the dancer draws a small face on the crown of his shaven head, turning it into a playful puppet. Children in the audience giggle instantly, drawn in by the simplicity of the gesture. Later, two chairs, one small and one large, become metaphors for growing up. Through rhythmic, athletic movement, the performer captures the restlessness of childhood and the tension between a boy’s creative dreams and a father’s more traditional expectations. There is humour here, but also frustration, defiance, and the quiet melancholy of adolescence.

The energy then settles into something more contemplative, as the gentle voice of the mother leads the protagonist and, with him, the audience into a forest of memory and myth. Projected white-line animations ripple across the dark backdrop, conjuring the world of Bombibi, the guardian spirit from Bengali folklore. This section, inspired by The Honey Hunter by Karthika Naïr, feels both dreamlike and grounding, a reminder of the stories that shape us long before we understand their meaning.

When the journey ends, the stage returns to stillness. The phone rings again. The same child’s voice is heard, now with a new certainty: “You know who you are. You can carry on.” It is a gentle, hopeful close that lands beautifully after so much movement and emotion.

Technically, the production is exquisite. Guy Hoare’s lighting and Jocelyn Pook’s score build a world that feels at once intimate and expansive. The visual design by Tim Yip and the visual animation created by YeastCulture bring the stage to life, enhancing the dance and creating a sense that the space itself is breathing with memory.

Co-written by Karthika Naïr, Sue Buckmaster and Akram Khan, Chotto Desh tells a story of growing up between cultures, of reconciling dreams with family, and of finding belonging in the space between. Its themes resonate widely, but its warmth and playfulness make it especially engaging for children. The result is a poetic and heartfelt production that invites young audiences and adults alike to reflect on where they come from, and where their own “small homeland” might be.

★★★★

For more information, please visit: https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/akram-khan-company-chotto-desh/

Credits

DESH Artistic Direction and Original Choreography: Akram Khan
Direction and Adaptation: Sue Buckmaster (Theatre-Rites)
Music Composition: Jocelyn Pook
Lighting Design: Guy Hoare
Stories imagined by Karthika Naïr and Akram Khan
The grandmother’s fable in Chotto Desh is taken from the book The Honey Hunter
Written by Karthika Naïr, Sue Buckmaster and Akram Khan
Assistant Choreographer: Jose Agudo
Rehearsal Directors: Dennis Alamanos, Amy Butler, Nico Monaco
Grandmother’s voice: Leesa Gazi
Jui’s voice: Sreya Andrisha Gazi
Dancers: Jasper Narvaez, Nico Ricchini

Tour Manager: Mashitah Omar, Svitlana Bil
Stage Manager: Jessica Rice
Lighting Technician: Gerald Mcdermott
Sound & Video: Dan Harmer, Mark William Webber, Matt Armstrong

Original Visual Designer: Tim Yip
Original Visual Animation Creator: YeastCulture
Original Costume Supervisor: Kimie Nakano
Original Producer: Claire Cunningham
Music Engineer: Steve Parr
Painted Head Sequence devised by Damien Jalet with Akram Khan
‘Bleeding Soles’ lyrics written by Leesa Gazi
Singers Melanie Pappenheim, Sohini Alam, Jocelyn Pook (voice/viola/piano), Tanja Tzarovska, Jeremy Schonfield

Acknowledgement

The artists who contributed to the original production of DESH by Akram Khan Company.
Co-produced by the MAC, Belfast
Originally co-commissioned by MOKO Dance, Akram Khan Company, Sadler’s Wells London, DanceEast, Théâtre de la Ville Paris, Mercat de les Flors Barcelona, Biennale de la danse de Lyon 2016 and Stratford Circus Arts Centre.