Chotto Desh (7+)

A small homeland, a universal journey
Chotto Desh, Bengali for ‘small homeland’, follows a young man searching for his place in the world. Through childhood memories, family stories and imagined landscapes, an intimate and deeply relatable story unfolds about identity, belonging and the worlds we carry within us. Moving between Britain and Bangladesh, the performance blends personal history with myth, humour and visual poetry. Kathak and contemporary dance meet spoken text, projection, animation and an original score by Jocelyn Pook in a richly layered theatrical experience for audiences aged 7 and up.

Reimagining an award-winning classic
Directed and adapted in 2015 by Theatre-Rites director Sue Buckmaster, Chotto Desh is based on Akram Khan’s critically acclaimed solo DESH, winner of the 2012 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production. Buckmaster is internationally recognised for her visually inventive work for young audiences and has collaborated with companies including the National Theatre and Royal Shakespeare Company.

Akram Khan is widely regarded as one of the defining choreographic voices of his generation. Since founding Akram Khan Company in 2000, he has created an artistic language where classical Indian Kathak, contemporary movement and cross-cultural storytelling come together with remarkable clarity and emotional force. With Chotto Desh, one of the most personal stories in his body of work opens up to a new generation of audiences.