Review: INALA (House of Sisters Grimm)

Review by Daz Gale

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If there are two things that are great about London, it is how beautifully multicultural it is, adding another layer to culture in itself, and how many different kinds of theatres are tucked away in every corner of the city. One of my favourite things to do is discover new places to see theatre, particularly when they are in surprising and unexpected places. It was in the heart of the city where I found myself on Saturday night, a stone's throw from Oxford Street, as I entered a building on a side street and was instantly transported for the London arrival of INALA, an immersive celebration of South African culture.

Since premiering at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2014, INALA has been seen all over the world, with performances including the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Variety Performance. Its ability to wow audiences even resulted in a Grammy nomination. Now it is back in London, creating its own home at the purpose-built venue, The House of Sisters Grimm - a venue that has multiple things to offer, all tied in to the INALA experience.

There are two aspects of this experience to enjoy - the actual show and the venue itself. Home to a South African wine bar, iGOLI, a trip to INALA ensures an evening of culture with much to explore. In addition to discovering the fine wines on offer, the venue also features art, with a new immersive multimedia experience launching in the coming weeks. This means that while the show itself runs at a stealthy 55 minutes, your night at the House of Sisters Grimm can extend far beyond that, making it the perfect place for a packed night of fun and culture.

As for the show itself, below the wine bar is where INALA takes place, fusing song, dance and culture as it brings South Africa to London in a beautiful example of the power of music and how it can prove universal, no matter the language. There are a few spoken English moments, but the musical is all in Zulu - though I didn’t understand what was being sung, the way they were performed, expressions and movement all made the tone abundantly clear, meaning you don’t need to speak the language to enjoy the show.

I must admit not knowing too much about South African culture before my visit, so a show like INALA made me feel all the richer for opening my eyes to it. Co-created by Ella Spira MBE alongside the late Joseph Shabalala (the founder of Ladysmith Black Mambazo), the music ranged from joyous to captivating as a wide range of songs were performed in quick succession in little under an hour. The one consistency between them is their high quality, brought to life by a wonderful cast of South African performers, all bursting with talent and packing a rather intimate stage with immeasurable strength in their performance.

There is a real beauty to INALA as a show, fusing culture with performance and transcending any perceived barriers by language to create an experience that speaks to the essence of humanity, with the use of narration by Ndaba Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, an inspired touch, In an increasingly divided world where culture clashes lead to disagreements or worse, House of Sisters Grimm has created a gorgeous safe space that celebrates all there is to offer with South African culture, while welcoming everyone to experience it.

Creation is at the heart of INALA, and an ambitious and innovative lighting design from Joshua Harriette stretches way beyond the intimate space of the House of Sisters Grimm stage, with Georg Meyer-Wiel's costume design giving a natural feel with a muted colour scheme every bit as effective as any bolder ones would have been. With the title meaning “abundance of goodwill’ in Zulu, it was every bit as good as its word, as I came out of the show feeling jubilant and enriched from being immersed in the world of INALA.

It is this kind of show that makes London such a wonderfully diverse space - while there is no shortage of more conventional plays and musicals to be found in nearby theatres, experiencing something different and distinct, such as this show, was a real joy. This makes INALA the perfect night out for anyone who loves art and culture, and the House of Sisters Grimm a fantastic new destination I am sure to visit multiple times.

INALA is booking at House of Sisters Grimm until 4th April. Get tickets from £15 at https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/dance/inala-tickets 

Photos by Helen Maybanks