Choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui has brought his new production, 'Ihsane', to the Edinburgh International Festival. The show serves as an act of remembrance, drawing inspiration from the 2012 homophobic killing of Ihsane Jarfi in Belgium, an event that reportedly disturbed Cherkaoui.
The production also pays tribute to Cherkaoui's father, who died 30 years ago, interweaving his past with Jarfi's death. Cherkaoui's work explores the interconnectedness of lives, with characters morphing into each other.
The performance features 18 dancers from Cherkaoui’s companies, Ballet du Grand Théâtre de Genève and Eastman, alongside four musicians and a pair of singers. The show combines elements such as an Arabic class, breakdance, traditional forms, and intricate musical compositions by Jasser Haj Youssef.
Scenes depict both the brutal death of Jarfi and moments of harmonious joy, with the production focusing on the aftermath of tragedy and how society heals. The show is running at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh, until August 20.