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Akram Khan Opens Final Company Work ‘Thikra’ at Sadler’s Wells

The site-born collaboration with Manal AlDowayan travels from AlUla’s desert to mark his move toward new, more site-specific projects.

Overview

  • Thikra is presented in London through 1 November as the concluding work for Akram Khan’s company in its current form.
  • The piece was developed outdoors in AlUla for Wadi AlFann and has been adapted for an indoor staging at Sadler’s Wells.
  • Reviewers praise Khan’s choreography and the cast, with standout notices for Azusa Seyama Proville as the matriarch and Ching‑Ying Chien as the ancestral spirit.
  • Some critics say the indoor version suffers from overly dim lighting and an overpowering recorded score by Aditya Prakash, though others find the design effectively restrained.
  • The all‑female ritual, created with Saudi artist Manal AlDowayan, aligns with the company’s 25th‑anniversary moment and signals Khan’s shift in working model.