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Programme Note

DESH (homeland) is a full length solo from celebrated choreographer and performer, Akram Khan, inspired by his homeland of Bangladesh. DESH is one of Khan’s most personal works, as he seeks to reconnect with his cultural roots.

Reflecting on life in Bangladesh, Khan portrays several characters familiar in daily Bangladeshi culture through his own body and voice. For this solo performance, he has teamed up with Oscar-winning Chinese visual artist Tim Yip (production designer for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), fellow Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist and lighting designer Michael Hulls, Indian writer and poet Karthika Nair, Olivier Award-winning composer Jocelyn Pook and British slam poet Polar Bear.
DESH will explores the idea of transformation - of body, land, identity and memory, while examining the contradictions of Khan’s own British-Asian identity. In Khan’s own words: “I am searching for a story that addresses both the tragedy and comedy of life in Bangladesh.”