XENOS

World Premiere: 21 February 2018, Onassis Cultural Centre, Athens
Final Performance: 25 June 2023, NCPA Mumbai

‘Whose war?
Whose fire?
Whose hand is this?’
Xenos by Jordan Tannahill

Akram’s most anticipated solo, XENOS, marks his final performances as a dancer in a full-length piece.

In this work commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK’s arts programme for the First World War centenary, Akram draws on the archives of the 20th century and gives voice to the shell-shocked dream of a colonial soldier in the First World War. XENOS reveals the beauty and horror of the human condition in its portrait of an Indian dancer whose skilled body becomes an instrument of war.

Shifting between classical kathak and contemporary dance, XENOS takes place on the border between East and West, past and present, mythology and technology, where humanity still stands in wonder and disarray.

Akram has brought together a stellar creative team. Along with dramaturg Ruth Little and acclaimed Canadian playwright Jordan Tannahill, he teams up with German designer Mirella Weingarten, award-winning lighting designer Michael Hulls, costume designer Kimie Nakano, and composer Vincenzo Lamagna.

Akram is joined onstage by five international musicians: percussionist B C Manjunath, vocalist Aditya Prakash, bass player Nina Harries, violinist Fra Rustumji, and saxophonist Tamar Osborn.

XENOS | Trailer

By Maxime Dos

Akram draws on the archives of the 20th century, and gives voice to the shell-shocked dream of a colonial soldier in the First World War.

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Explore XENOS

XENOS Last Chapter - One | Akram Khan Company | Mumbai 2023

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XENOS Last Chapter - Two | Akram Khan Company | Mumbai 2023

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XENOS Last Chapter - Three | Akram Khan Company | Mumbai 2023

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Credits

Akram Khan

Artistic Director/Choreographer/Performer

Ruth Little

Dramaturg

Michael Hulls

Lighting Designer

Vincenzo Lamagna

Original Music Score and Sound Design

Set Designer

Costume Designer

Writer

Rehearsal Director

Rehearsal Director

Musician

Musician

Musician

Musician

Musician

Artistic Director/Choreographer/Performer Akram Khan

Dramaturg Ruth Little
Lighting Designer Michael Hulls
Original Music Score and Sound Design Vincenzo Lamagna
Set Designer Mirella Weingarten
Costume Designer Kimie Nakano
Writer Jordan Tannahill
Rehearsal Directors Mavin Khoo and Nicola Monaco

Dancer Akram Khan
Musicians Nina Harries (double bass & vocals), B C Manjunath (percussions & konnakol), Tamar Osborn (baritone saxophone), Aditya Prakash (vocals), Fra Rustumji (violin)

Executive Producer Farooq Chaudhry
Technical Director Richard Fagan
Production Manager John Valente
Technical Coordinator Peter Swikker
Stage Manager Marek Pomocki
Lighting Engineer Stéphane Déjours
Sound Engineer Julien Deloison
Technician Russell Parker
Project/Tour Manager Mashitah Omar
Props made by Louise Edge from LFX props & special fx

The original music score was devised in collaboration with Nina Harries, Andrew Maddick, B C Manjunath, Tamar Osborn, Aditya Prakash; and contains extracts from Requiem in D minor K. 626 (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart), Hanging on the Old Barbed Wire (traditional composition), Tu Karim (traditional composition), Chhap Tilak (Amir Khusro), Babul Mora (Nawab Wajid Ali Shah), Naiharwa (Kabir).

Commissioned by 14-18 NOW: WW1 Centenary Art Commissions, supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund and Arts Council England, and by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Co-produced by Onassis Cultural Centre – Athens, The Grange Festival Hampshire, Sadler’s Wells London, Hong Kong Cultural Centre, Théâtre de la Ville – Paris/La Villette – Paris, Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, National Arts Centre Ottawa, The Center for China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF), Centro Cultural de Belém, Festspielhaus St. Pölten, Grec 2018 Festival de Barcelona, HELLERAU – European Center for the Arts Dresden, Tanz Köln, Edinburgh International Festival, Adelaide Festival, Festival Montpellier Danse 2018, Julidans Amsterdam, Canadian Stage Toronto, Romaeuropa Festival, Torinodanza festival / Teatro Stabile di Torino – Teatro Nazionale, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts New York, University of California Berkeley, Danse Danse Montreal, Curve Leicester, La Comédie de Clermont-Ferrand – scène nationale.

Sponsored by COLAS

Supported by Arts Council England

Akram Khan is an Associate Artist of Sadler’s Wells London and Curve Leicester.
Produced during residency at The Grange Festival, Hampshire and Onassis Cultural Centre – Athens (OCC).

Special thanks to Katia Arfara & the OCC team, Michael Chance, Michael Moody, Nigel Hinds, Jenny Waldman, Sarah Goodfellow, Hervé Le Bouc, Delphine Lombard, Béatrice Abeille-Robin, Mr. & Mrs. Khan, Yuko Khan, Sayuri & Kenzo Khan, Dannii Evans, Zia Ali, Es Devlin, Zena Edwards, Tim Freke, Ronan Harrington, Daniel Hernandez, Amit Lahav, Jerome Lewis, Confucius MC, Vahakn Matossian, Camilla Power, Ella Saltmarshe, Murray Shanahan, Zahed Sultan, Temujen Gunawandena, Jess Balla, Chris Timpson, Paul Evans, Robin Leonard, Florian Stagliano.

Akram Khan gratefully acknowledges Akram Khan Company staff team: Farooq Chaudhry, Jan Hart, Richard Fagan, Tina Fagan, Mashitah Omar, Clare Cody-Richardson, Celine Gaubert, Christine Maupetit, Amy Sharkey, Hannah Patel, Mai Tassinari, Nathan White, and all those who contributed to make the production successful.