REVIEW: ALCHEMY, Liam Francis Dance Company at The Place Theatre 7 November 2025

‘full of expressive original character and a style of its own’ ★★★★★

Alchemy is a deeply personal double bill, presented by Liam Francis Dance Company, choreographed by Liam Francis, a former Rambert dancer and Dance Europe ‘Dancer of the year’ nominee.

The sense of heritage and roots was very pronounced visually throughout the performance. In his solo ‘Lyre Liar’, Liam Francis presented a combination of spoken word, a masterclass in dance mentioning the late Gus Solomons Jr. and excerpts of movement pieces he performed in for dancers and choreographers who have influenced his art expression, we name Merce Cunningham (Rainforest), Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui (Faune) and Kate Prince (Into the Hoods).

Represented by the several layers of lycra catsuit and two-pieces dance costumes worn by the artist, the weight of leadership, guidance and training passed down from the mentors and role models slowly and surely starts peeling off, as Francis sheds one by one, with intervals of intermittent dance pieces, the identities he has embodied throughout his journey as a dancer. Left exposed and vulnerable, he then unexpectedly begins wearing them again, mismatched, imbalanced and disorderly, but the end result is a beautiful flowing colourful garment, full of expressive original character and a style of its own. Francis has discovered a new identity, a form of rebirth, parallel to the sound of the Lyrebird mimicking a baby crying, which the audience had the fortunate opportunity to see and hear on the giant digital screen.

Liam Francis is joined on stage by three other young black performers, Eloy Cojal Mestre, Jacob Wye, Stephen Quildan, and together they formed a dynamic ensemble quartet ‘A Body of Rumours’ moving through a complex choreography that draws from ballet, hip hop, and contemporary dance. 

From the apprehension of isolation, rivalry and comparison, their dance journey evolves and transforms into a celebration of movement, connection and brotherhood. Set to live electronic music by composer Chloe Mason who takes centre stage behind her recording studio desk at the back of the theatre, the choreography explores the common experiences of rhythm, trust and histories shared by the four dance artists.

The 90 minutes show with interval was a one night only performance supported by a multitude of national and international collaborators and wrapped with a post-show talk hosted by former dance artist and former CEO of The Place, Kenneth Olumuyima Tharp. It is clear that the dance company has a bright future ahead of them and definitely one to watch.

Venue: The Place Theatre

Choreographer: Liam Francis

Creative Associate: Jacob Wye

Performers: Eloy Cojal Mestre, Liam Francis, Jacob Wye, Stephen Quildan

R&D Performer (2025): Rhys Dennis

Rehearsal Director: Bruno Guillore

Live Music Composer & Performer: Chloe Mason

Lighting Designer: Joshie Harriette

Associate Lighting Designer: Zoé RitchieT

Production Manager: Zoé Ritchieh

Creative Producer: Steph Bergée

Photography: Nora Houguenade