Theatre Reviews

Sad Book
Hackney Empire and UK Tour
2/4/25

“Following the world premiere at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 201 Dance Company are pleased to announce the UK tour of the critically acclaimed SAD BOOK will visit theatres in Spring 2025.

Adapted from Michael Rosen’s award-winning book, Sad Book is a visually inventive, moving story of navigating complex emotions in the midst of everyday life.

In this personal story of loss, a father explores the disconnection between what we feel, what we show, and different ways we deal with sadness.

Sad Book makes the deeply personal, universal, retelling the story through dance, physical theatre, animation and stunning original music.”

Review by Richard Lambert, 3 Stars

I’m not sure you can take an Edinburgh Festival Fringe show and plonk it on the huge stage of the Hackney Empire, however, that’s what’s happened here.

The show starts with some beautiful staging by Andrew Walker and the cast behind 2 tables, looking a little Leonardo da Vinci’s  The Last Supper painting. Michael Rosen himself narrates while another actor plays out the role on stage.

The white screen hung at the rear of the stage writes the poetry spoken by Michael Rosen, but it isn’t in sync, so becomes rather distracting. There are pauses while the video catches up with the narrator. You can’t see the narrator’s face since the lighting is very dark throughout.

There are moments of interesting choreography but, other than that, the entire 42 minute piece is fairly low-key, reading the book. A lot of the dancers are not very well lit and remain in the dark.

The technical aspects became a barrier to emotionally engaging in the story. I can’t enjoy someone reading a book if I can’t see their face. Straining to see what felt like a radio play just didn’t work for me.

Photo Credit: Josh Brady