Patti Boulaye’s Sun Dance
By Mark Shenton for the Stage


Seeking to do for African tribal dance what Riverdance did for Irish folk dance, Patti Boulaye’s Sun Dance is a cultural pageant of African custom and choreography that is far more earnest and considerably less slick.

Though Boulaye is unquestionably sincere in her quest and is a lithely radiant stage presence, she has done herself no favours by multiplying her tasks here to also embrace writing the blandly simplistic tunes, book and lyrics (with assistance from three others), co-producing, co-choreographing and designing the costumes too.

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Sun Dance
By David Dougill for The Sunday Times


Patti Boulaye’s new African dance musical, Sun Dance (running at Matcham’s exotic restored Hackney Empire), is spectacular but diffusely exhausting. The costumes are splendid, not least Boulaye’s glamorous gowns, including a shimmering white creation that completely fills the stage. She represents the Spirit of Woman and sings with great verve, though the lyrics (her own) are rather banal.

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