A filmed version of David Byrne's Broadway show, directed by Spike Lee, presented as an immersive cinematic experience.
David Byrne's American Utopia is coming to Plymouth Arts Cinema on Wednesday 5 August, a single screening of the film directed by Spike Lee. It's a filmed version of the Broadway show Byrne ran in 2019, and Lee has turned it into immersive, dynamic cinema that reflects on human connections, life, and how we work through it, joining the dots with Byrne's music.
It's a big, wide-ranging production. The film runs through astounding performances, inventive contemporary dance, and a political urgency that flows like an iridescent dream vision. Along the way, it brings in work by James Baldwin, Janelle Monáe, and Kurt Schwitters, sitting alongside exhilarating renditions of Byrne's solo work and Talking Heads classics. It's described as anti-fascist and anti-racist, and it looks at our responsibility to care for one another as Byrne and his co-performers 'burn down the house'.
If you're a Talking Heads fan, it's a good way to see Byrne's work from the front man's perspective, but it's more than a greatest hits reel. The Broadway show was built around the idea of a community of musicians on stage, and Lee's film keeps that energy, letting the music and the dance do a lot of the heavy lifting. It's a single session, so if you want to see it, this is the one.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Plymouth and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
The screening runs from 18:00 to 20:00 at Plymouth Arts Cinema, 0 Tavistock Place, Plymouth, PL4 8AT.
