★★★★★ “Unleashed is met with a standing ovation from all in the Barbican Theatre - how often does that happen? Five star reviews don't come around very often. Neither do huge young casts that combine balanced social commentary and high standards of performance - an eclectic vision as bold and clear as Danny Boyle's Olympic Games opening ceremony” - Huffington Post
★★★★★ “In a central scene of Unleashed, accounts of the fears and frustrations of young Londoners build into a scene inspired last year’s riots… The whole stage boils with energy and noise, but there’s also a sense of cause and effect: how the anger builds up, and the fear it leaves behind… Unleashed has immense drive and focus, bringing in different aspects of performance without losing its momentum or freshness. It’s an angry, open and joyful show.” - The Independent
★★★★ “Unleashed is the culmination of an eighteen month long joint project involving 167 young participants of the Barbican’s Creative Learning ensembles: Future Band, Young Filmmakers, Drum Works and Young Poets, in collaboration with Da Bratz and Da Bluez. It’s urban, edgy and celebratory – a positive affirmation of youth culture… What both Meierjohann and Sandy have managed to harness in this large-scale performance, together with the help of their artist leaders, is a visceral response from the young artists, many of whom are from deprived backgrounds, to what it feels like to grow up in London, in a climate which seems to be becoming increasingly tougher and bleaker… The directors have succeeded in giving the young people autonomy and allowing them to own the work through writing and performing their own personal scripts, whether that is through poetry, dance, film or music. Consequently performance values are high and content is delivered with utmost sincerity… I’m filled with a feel-good confidence that young people can not only turn around their lives if given half a chance but also fulfil their ambitions. Drama, art, dance and music are some of their most beneficial tools – let’s not take them away.” - London Dance
Director Walter Meierjohann
Co-Director and Choreographer Kenrick 'H20' Sandy
Set and Costume Design Ti Green
Lighting Design Mike Gunning
Video Design Louis Price
Associate Costume Design Jane Dickerson
Sound Design Steve Mayo
Dramaturge Petra Tauscher
Dramaturge and Artistic Associate Peter Cant
ARTIST LEADERS
Artistic associate, Music Jo Wills
Barbican Drum Works
Ross McDouall, Sam Mumford, Jimmy Norden and Jo Wills
Barbican Young Filmmakers
Eelyn Lee and Winstan Whitter
Barbican Young Poets
Jacob Sam-La Rose and Dorothy Lehane
Da Bratz and Da Bluez
Vicky 'Skytilz' Mantey and Bruno 'Boom' Perrier
Future Band
Detta Danford and Natasha Zielazinski
Artist Leader, Electronics Chris Bartholemew
