Jwala (Rising Flame): Brighton Festival Review

When I went to see my first show for Brighton Festival, Jwala (Rising Flame), I returned feeling emotionally, spiritually and artistically content from what I witnessed in just the duration of an hour.

On a Monday evening when Brighton was decked in festival hues, I got the opportunity to watch Jwala (Rising Flame) by Bharatanatyam dancer, Mythili Prakash. It was held at the Theatre Royal where I had never been before. Hence, seeing the vintage interiors within that still holding the essence of live operas made it the perfect venue for something as spectacular as what we were about to witness. I would also highly recommend Theatre Royal as a venue for any other Brighton Festival shows you might be interested in as the staff are very welcoming and the bar is well stocked for refreshments for you to enjoy while being in a classic theatrical ambience.

As the show began, Mythili Prakash gave us a very meaningful description of the creative
inspiration for this piece and how it has evolved in the last 10 years, since it was first created.
She also acknowledged her long-time friend and this year’s festival director, Anoushka Shankar for inviting her to present this work in Brighton. Her description set the stage for a mature yet extremely vulnerable piece of work, whose impact none of us were probably prepared for.

Even though the original piece was divided into three parts, in this particular rendition those
three parts – Sun, Life and Death, and the Soul – all melded into one cohesive performance, just as Prakash intended it to be. She was accompanied by extremely talented Indian Classical musicians and vocalists whose powerful musical prowess deserves special mention. Susha Rangarajan, Ashwath Narayanan, Sumesh Narayanan and Sayee Rakshith created a soundscape that still echoes in my mind as I write this. The sound of Hindu mantras, rhythmic beats, Sufi tunes as well as Mythili’s and her daughter’s voices created a harmonious ambience which was completed by the dancer.

Prakash’s choreography was without any doubt stunningly evocative and emotive. It was raw
emotion but also portrayed so many dance techniques of imagery, abhinaya or dramatic
aspects, postures, mudras or hand gestures as well as stage presence. I found myself flitting
between appreciating the autobiographical connotation of parts like grieving her father’s
passing and celebrating her daughter’s birth while also acknowledging the sheer strength of
clean, sharp movements that landed perfectly on the stage, after each spin and jump. There was grace, there was vulnerability, there was power.

The lights and costume in Jwala were also on point to make Prakash look like a flame on stage which came to life with her movements. It would probably best be summarised as she set fire on stage, and in our hearts to the point I genuinely found myself crying. This performance has left me spellbound and I am still reeling from the effect it has had on me that will last a long, long time.

To attend more such amazing lineups that will leave you pondering on this year’s ‘New Dawn’, do check out Brighton Festival and I can bet you won’t be disappointed.

Website: https://brightonfestival.org/whats-on/

Theatre Royal – https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/