Shield by Amaara Raheem at Ovalhouse Downstairs

Shield, by Amaara Raheem and Collaborators, at Ovalhouse Downstairs theatre, in south London, from 11 to 29 June 2013.

From the war-torn city of Colombo, through the blinding white beaches of Botany Bay, to the chartered streets of London town, Shield explores myth, memory and mobility and the notion of searching for our ‘roots’.

A contemporary tale about three voyages of discovery. The first, a historical legend about a Great Explorer, the second, a personal memoir concerning National Sorry Day (held every year since 1998 on the 26th of May in Australia to remember and commemorate the mistreatment of its indigenous population), and the third, a psychological experiment that could forever change your understanding of love. Shield is a cross-art collaboration with musician Tobias Sturmer, who fuses various world-music traditions with contemporary sound art. Combining dance, story-telling, live music, costume and filmscapes Shield is a physical and delicate journey to a fragile land, where identity, diversity and love are re-imagined.

- by Darren Dalglish