Traplord at Aviva Studios
Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor
In an explosive fusion of dance, live music and spoken word, Traplord is an Olivier Award-winning show by world-renowned director and choreographer, Ivan Michael Blackstock.
Billed as an invitation for audiences to “question the stereotyping of Black men in contemporary Western society”, Traplord explores themes of mental health and masculinity through movement, beats and storytelling; an attempt to escape from a mental state of being condemned before having lived.
Ivan Michael Blackstock is a multidisciplinary creative known for his work as a choreographer, mentor and cultural disrupter. He is the founder of Crxss Platfxrm – an organisation platforming talent and forging new paths for subculture creatives. Through Crxss Platfxrm, he has collaborated with Nike, Red Bull, The Southbank Centre and UAL: Central Saint Martins. His work as a choreographer includes Beyoncé’s Black Is King and Grammy award-winning music video Brown Skin Girl, as well as founding his own media production company Altruviolet.
Of the production, Ivan Michael Blackstock told us, “Bringing Traplord to the theatrical stage is something I’ve felt I needed to do for a long time. The experience and story it tells is one that has always felt present in me so uncovering that truth and sharing it in this way brings me great relief and a sense of healing. Looking at the cycle of life, death and rebirth from a black male perspective, along with the specific challenges to mental health that go along with this, I hope that this production will encourage audiences to delve within themselves to reflect and find their own way of taking positive action in their own lives.”
An Altruviolet, Factory International and Sadler’s Wells co-production, Traplord was first performed at 180 Studios, London in 2022 where it garnered rave reviews and won the 2023 Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. Don’t miss out when it plays Aviva Studios this autumn.
