Aakash Odedra: Songs Of The Bulbul at Lowry
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
Crowned Best Show of the Edinburgh International Festival 2024 and boasting five-star reviews from The Guardian and The Scotsman, Songs Of The Bulbul by Aakash Odedra arrives at Lowry for one special performance this May. Happening as part of Lowry’s 25th anniversary celebrations, this unmissable event promises mesmerising movement, stunning storytelling and soaring live music.
Featuring an extraordinary live orchestra, this spellbinding performance reunites musical greats, vocalists Abi Sampa and Sarthak Kalyani, composer Rushil Ranjan and percussionist Janan Sathiendran, with forty musicians from the trailblazing Manchester Camerata. Together, they create a rich, cinematic soundscape that forms the heartbeat of the show — the perfect backdrop to Aakash Odedra’s electrifying dance.
Inspired by an ancient Sufi myth, Songs Of The Bulbul tells the poignant story of a bulbul, or nightingale, trapped in captivity. As the bird’s spirit fades, its song becomes ever more beautiful – until one final, heart-wrenching note marks its release. This haunting metaphor lies at the heart of the show: a meditation on longing, loss, and the beauty that can emerge from despair. Through a powerful blend of Sufi Kathak movement, orchestral and Indian classical music, and Islamic poetry, the performance becomes a deeply moving journey – one that transcends physical boundaries in search of spiritual release and enlightenment.
Rooted in Sufi tradition, the piece draws on the rhythmic intensity and expressive storytelling of Kathak – a classical Indian dance form known for percussive footwork and fluid, lightning-fast spins. Choreographed by Odedra and Rani Khanam, one of India’s most celebrated Kathak artists, the movement flows between ferocity and grace, echoing the bird’s journey from confinement to transcendence.
Technically brilliant and emotionally rich, Songs Of The Bulbul is a rare and beautiful show. Don’t miss your chance to see it in Salford.
