Thikra: Night of Remembering

The 60th edition of the Brighton Festival is shaping up to be quite a significant one, particularly with the inclusion of Thikra: Night of Remembering. Scheduled for the 23rd and 24th of May at the Brighton Dome Concert Hall, this production carries a bit of extra weight as it is the final touring show from The Akram Khan Company. For those of us who have followed their work over the years, seeing them return to Brighton for this farewell tour feels like a natural closing of a chapter. The piece itself is a collaboration between choreographer Akram Khan and the Saudi visual artist Manal AlDowayan, taking its creative cues from the mythology and physical landscapes of AlUla.

The performance is built around an all-female cast, which is an interesting choice for a production that merges the structures of classical Indian Bharatanatyam with contemporary dance. It is a blend that Khan has explored before, but here it is framed by Manal AlDowayan’s visual influence and a specific technical team. The music is composed by Aditya Prakash, with sound design by Gareth Fry and lighting by Zeynep Kepekli, all working to translate those Middle Eastern inspirations onto the stage. It is the kind of show that usually draws a crowd interested in how different cultural histories—in this case, Saudi heritage and Indian classical traditions—can intersect through movement.

In terms of getting hold of tickets, they are priced starting from £17.50, making it relatively accessible for a production of this scale. Since today is the 19th of February, booking has already opened for festival members. For the rest of the public, the general sale begins on the 26th of February. Since it is part of the wider festival programme in May, it is worth noting the dates early if you want to see the company’s final touring work at the Brighton Dome. It is a rare opportunity to see this specific collaboration in person before the company shifts its focus away from touring.