Rifco Arts, who previously brought us the awesome “Britain’s Got Bhangra” returned to the Coliseum with their latest, and from the 4th to the 8th of June they did Break The Floorboards. “Break the Floorboards” showing that once again Rifco have their fingers on the national pulse and their toes-a-tappin’. *
Like “BGB”, Breaking the Floorboards is witty and entertaining and is about family, the power of dreams in a land of opportunity – and those who would sour those dreams. Where BGB spanned decades of social change, Floorboards is set right here, right now. The dreamer in this case Zain, a young man awaiting his exam result, who dreams of being a dancer. The cloud on the horizon is the EGBDP “nationalist” party stirring up trouble. As in BGB we have a commentary by the broadcast news.shop, to a rehearsal room, to jail or the Peterton Mela. At home Mum is hooked on Indian Soaps on the Telly, while his brother is there bread-winner after mum they were abandoned by runaway Dad. So we have practical son vs dreamer between the boys, while Mum disapproves of the dance despite her own Bollywood addiction. Both brothers end up in a spot of trouble , one in jail, while the EGBDP match into town stirring up trouble. Ultimately things work out, after the riot Mum decides that the dance is in fact a positive thing and her greatest duty is her son’s happiness, even Zain’s brother ends up encouraging him to enter the competition at the Mela, held the weekend after the EGDDP march – an opportunity to forge the togetherness of the community of Peterton through the creativity and celebration of the Mela. It will come as no surprise that Zain wins with an ultra contemporary fusion of Body-Poppin Bollywood Hip-hoppin styles concocted by Andy Kumar and Maria Swainson for the show. And so we all win.
Full marks again to Rifco and the Coliseum for a great production and great sound.
*I really wanted to say “plugged into the national zeitgeist” – but thought better of it.