Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s ‘Our Mighty Groove’ Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review. All views are our own
Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s Our Mighty Groove triumphantly bursts back onto the stage of Saddler’s Wells East. Known for her choreography of the 2012 Olympics ceremonies, amongst others, this show is based on Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s real experiences of a night out in a New York Club and all of the wild shenanigans that can happen on a night out.
Presented by Uchenna Dance company, Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s signature choreography uses a mix of club styles, house, waacking and vogue, fused with African and contemporary dance. Every cast member has a chance to shine and showcase a variety of moves and individual sequences, and the cohesive group choreography was truly stunning to watch. I was mesmerised throughout the entire show as it is a perfect mix of theatre and dance. There is a light-hearted plot of dance-offs that would make any Millennial's heart sing with joy.
The cast have phenomenal chemistry together and use microexpressions and excellent body language to communicate their characters even though no one speaks. lona Brie as Blue, Cache Thake as Tony, Dani Harris-Walters as Wesley Denzil, Angelika Napierala as Sam, Shula Carter as Jessie, Jackie Kibuka as Tracee and Kabuki Johnson as Bougetta all played larger than life characters which had the audience cheering and gasping in wonder throughout. The emerging artists who supported the show are also wonderful and full of inspiration and enthusiasm.
Set Designer Simon Kenny has created an industrial club feel with a giant Club Groove sign in the background and, in conjunction with Lighting Designer Matt Daw, has created a vivid and realistic envisioning of a club night out that feels fresh, invigorating and entirely wonderful for the audience. Composers Warren Morgan-Humphreys and Kweku Aacht and Sound Designer Mark Webber have created a musical composition which perfectly encapsulates the house and Afro beats feel of a club, with the music pulsing through the audience as much as the dancers on stage. Lighting Costume Designer Jodie-Simone Howe perfectly showcases all the different sundry characters you find in clubs.
This show is bursting full of heart and cheeky joie de vivre. The only let down is that the show is 50m long and it is so infectiously fun that you wish it could last much longer than that. However, that is the nature of all great nights at the club, and this show is the perfect reproduction of that fleeting, fantastic feeling. At the end of the show, you also have the opportunity to dance outside with the cast. Most of the audience on the night | attended felt brave enough to join in, and it was a perfect dose of 00's club nostalgia as everyone was so busy dancing, laughing and having fun that no one was recording on their phones.
It is easy to see why this show won the best dance production at the 2025 Black British Theatre Awards, as it is pure magic on stage. If you are looking for phenomenal choreography, a great cast and a truly joyful night out that will leave you buzzing, then this is the show for you.
Our Mighty Groove plays at Sadler’s Wells East until 4 July 2026.
★★★★★
