Live Performance Review: Gnosis Performed By Akram Khan Company (Edinburgh International Festival (E.I.F.) 2014), Wednesday 20.08.2014 20:00, King's Theatre, Edinburgh

Unavoidably this was a modified performance of Gnosis. Akram does the first section and last sections solo, and the middle section was to be performed by Fang-Yi Sheu, who had regrettably injured herself and was unable to perform. 

We were still treated to Akram's sections of Gnosis, and between these, we got Akram and his musicians doing a fantastic music and dance 'jam' based around 16 beat patterns. We also had a tabla solo, Akram giving a demonstration of dance which is the product of a collaboration he is doing with a flamenco artist - there are apparent shared roots to historical/classical Indian dance and flamenco & a 'battle' between the three drummers, which was a lot better than what it may sound to Western ears. 

The dancing was virtuoso, with superb accompanyment from the musicians and singer. This was also heightened by the powerful yet minimal use of lighting and Akram's colorful dress. There were passages that were sublime, awe inspiring and bordering on the transcendental. To pick out but a couple of examples; the tabla solo was staggering in it's mastery and within the flamenco flavoured section, there was a passage where due to the continuous rhythm being generated by his subtle leg movements, Akram was creating a continual yet undulating ringing of his trouser-bells, the affect of which is unlike anything I have ever come across before. 

I have no regrets about the revised nature of the performance. I at times like what can come of these mishaps. All of Akram's dancing was top-notch, though if it had not been for his co-star getting injured, we would not have had the special flamenco and tabla sections. 

I have given this some thought, and even given the ad-hoc nature of the performance, I genuinely feel to give a score is not enough. (Thinking back on performances where I have felt it to be inappropriate to give a score, the element that they all shared is some kind of transcendental nature. So far that is again two such performances during the Edinburgh Festival period in 2014, just like in 2012. Life does not get better than these experiences.) The performance could in ways be seen as profound. It was certainly a privilege.