If you were to name an artist who represented the classic soul-disco fusion trend in the 70s, you would probably think of people such as James Brown, Sam Cooke and Etta James. These classic artists are celebrated and explored in The Brown Suite, where a group of friends are brought together by music in a club. Through the music, connections are sought, love discovered, jealousy unearthed. Will the groove and balance be restored between these friends?
The concept was simple, yet it had a sense of power that kept everyone engaged as the story unfolded. The storyline was also surprisingly strong enough to create a sense of intrigue and dynamic character choices that made it easy to follow. I say surprisingly strong, as those who may be new to dance shows run the risk of not being able to follow the journey conveyed on stage. Here, The Brown Suite created a world in which it was easy to understand what was happening without the need to over-explain much.
The only slight critiques here were that there were one or two subplots that didn’t seem to make sense, which meant that some parts of the storyline felt at times rushed. Alongside that, on a performance technique level, whilst the standard was extremely high, occasionally it didn’t feel as if the arm and foot placements were as polished as they could have been. Having said this, given the emotional mess that the characters conveyed as they lost themselves and found their way back to each other, the less polished movements seemed to fit these sections well.
Classic songs such as ‘At Last’, ‘It’s A Man’s World’ and ‘Please Please Please’ took centre stage at appropriate moments, highlighting the moments that were key to making the story pivot easily. But it was the lesser-known tracks, such as ‘Soul Pride Parts 1 and 2’ and ‘Down and Out In New York City ’, that added an unexpected layer of intimacy. These songs and many more managed to heighten each dance and character choice within the soul setting, which in turn made the whole company dance with a soul connection that seemed to deepen with every heartfelt piece of choreography.
Highlights included Lukas Hunt’s Marcus and Leila Wright’s Denise, who had a natural stage chemistry as their relationship developed. It felt like both Hunt and Wright had deliberately developed their characters in a way that felt extremely authentic. They showed through the way they interacted with each other, explored a hint of sexual attraction and played with many layers of intimacy and an extremely high level of trust in each other, which in turn made us focus purely on them.
Monique Jonas’ Angela was the dancer to watch in terms of solo empowerment as her journey took an interesting turn. She was not afraid to explore the idea of someone seemingly in a secure relationship, who actually was caught up in highly charged emotions by becoming the one people wanted for themselves. All I will say is her solo dance to Etta James’ ‘At Last’ was one that became raw, bold and extremely dynamic to watch.
With some minor tweaks to streamline the movements and some of the plot lines, The Brown Suite will be an incredible show to celebrate life in all its forms. What carries it is the passion for the music, the stories of the characters and the raw energy of each dance to match the lyrics and more. One to watch as the tour progresses.
Review by Sascha Cooper
Welcome to 1970s New York. The music is loud, the dancefloor is alive and anything can happen.
Seven lives collide in a vibrant soul-era community, where a glance can become a flirtation, a dance can become a romance and one night can change everything. Friendships form, passions ignite and hearts are broken as the characters find love, lose it and search for their way back to one another.
At the heart of it all is the music. A generation-defining soundtrack fuels world-class dancers and exhilarating choreography, bringing the swagger, style and infectious energy of the era to the stage.
Sexy, soulful, funny and full of life, The Brown Suite is a celebration of music, dance and human connection. Come for the story. Come for the dancing. Come for the groove.
Cast:
Lukas Hunt – Marcus
Leila Wright – Denise
Hugo Bragg – Julian
Darius Drooh – Ray
Monique Jonas – Angela
Marie Astrid Mence – Angela/Denise
Nahum McLean – Victor
Joshua Martina – Mr NewYork
Creative Team:
Directed and Choreographed by Blacbrik
Lighting Designer and Scenography – Joshie Hariette
Sound Designer – Max Marchment
Costume Design – Maybelle Laye
Costume Supervisor – Mariama Bojang
Rehearsal Director – Emma Harris
Creative Producer – Jamiel Devernay-Laurence
Senior Producer – Olivia Godwin
Producer and Tour Manager – Will Bridgland
Tour Apprentices – Keavie Holliday, Matthew Millard, Ruby Killworth, Maria Sheffer, Jaramillo, Giana Vermiglio, with thanks to Rambert School
THE BROWN SUITE
Richmond Theatre, 30 September to 3 October 2026
Book tickets for Richmond Theatre
Tour continues to 20 November 2026
Hackney Empire, 19 to 22 May 2027
With further dates to be announced
The Brown Suite: dates, venues & tickets
Richmond Theatre Fri 2 Oct – Sat 3 Oct 2026
Princess Theatre, Torquay Wed 14 Oct 2026
Woking Theatre Fri 16 Oct – Sat 17 Oct 2026
Opera House Manchester Fri 23 Oct 2026
Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent Sat 24 Oct 2026
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre Sun 1 Nov 2026
Theatre Royal Brighton Tue 3 Nov – Wed 4 Nov 2026
Grand Opera House York Thu 19 Nov – Fri 20 Nov 2026
