I haven’t reviewed any dance theatre since Phoenix Dance was at York Theatre Royal’s TakeOver Festival last year. Luckily for me, Rosie Kay Dance Company has brought its latest work, 5 Soldiers, to Fulford’s Imphal Barracks on a stop during its tour. Claiming to pack a powerful punch and evoke plenty of emotions, I stepped over the threshold of the barrack’s gates to find out for myself.

5 Soldiers follows the story of a group of soldiers preparing to undertake the rigours of war. The narrative is divided into moments made up of electrifying, sharp bits of choreography that capture the essence of what this production is all about: utter resilience. We see them bond in moments of tender intimacy, and we see them fight together in intense physical sequences that capture the essence of conflict. We also grow attached to them on their journey through the narrative, and sit in awe at how the various physical sequences carefully map out their emotions.

Rosie Kay’s choreography is absolutely fantastic; it’s raw, physical and oozes emotion. Each sequence is a pleasure to watch, and is well executed by the brilliant performers, consisting of Duncan Anderson, Shelley Eva Haden, Chester Hayes and Oliver Russell. The fifth soldier, Sean Marcs, had injured himself in rehearsal earlier in the day; and yet, the remaining dancers managed to perform incredibly well, even in the absence of one of their companions.

The performance shifts in pace and rhythm throughout its duration, and this helps to keep the audience engaged. The difference between dance theatre and a dance show might not seem all the great, but 5 Soldiers suggests otherwise. There’s a clear narrative here, and there are clear characters, too; there’s a sense that this piece not only asks to be enjoyed and marvelled at by an audience, but its main purpose is to ask questions of its audience. It asks questions about how we cope with traumatic and terrifying situations, and asks us to realise that there are real identities behind those who put their bodies on the front line to fight. The sheer power behind each of the performers’ portrayals of their characters through their execution of Kay’s choreography drives these questions forward.

In addition to excellent choreography and a strong subliminal message, 5 Soldiers also boasts an excellent set design. With only a black stage space and a large lighting frame standing on the edge of it, there’s not much to look at, which helps us to focus on the performers and their relationship to this excellent piece of theatre. Music, sound and video projections interweave seamlessly to create a powerfully simplistic scenography that cements the essence of the production’s world.

5 Soldiers is a superb piece of performance and art; it’s enjoyable and gripping, and contains all of the right ingredients in just the right proportions to make it stand out from the crowd. It leaves you stunned and, most importantly, it leaves you thinking about its subject matter and its relevance to the world we live in today – it doesn’t get much better than that.

5 Soldiers played at Imphal Barracks and is currently on tour. For tickets and more information, see the 5 Soldiers website.