This new dance production is a bedtime story for an uncertain world

These deeply personal reflections and ancestral roots have now blossomed into a major new artistic endeavor. Mbi’s brand-new production, TELLUS, is foregrounded entirely by these probing questions about heritage, future generations, and environmental stewardship. Arriving at Sadler’s Wells East for a limited run from October 21 to 24, the ambitious stage show weaves together contemporary dance, traditional African folklore, and a powerful, immersive live musical score to explore humanity’s increasingly fractured and troubled relationship with the natural world.

Co-written with celebrated poet Nick Drake and developed with invaluable mentorship from Simon McBurney of the renowned theater company Complicité, TELLUS marks an ambitious, genre-defying new chapter for Mbi as a creator and director. This high-profile production follows on the heels of his widely celebrated solo show Enowate, which was co-commissioned by Sadler’s Wells and the Barbican. Enowate earned widespread critical acclaim and ultimately captured the prestigious Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance in 2023, cementing Mbi’s status as one of the most innovative and compelling voices in contemporary British performance.

Now, returning triumphantly to East London with his very first ensemble production created specifically for his own company, the visionary choreographer brings an epic, myth-inflected story directly to a part of London that he proudly calls home. The production tackles sweeping, urgent themes of climate change, ancestral memory, and our collective, inescapable responsibility to safeguard the planet, translating global ecological crises into an intimate, human-scale narrative that resonates deeply with modern audiences.

Drawing heavily on Mbi’s own Cameroonian heritage and deeply inspired by the mythical water deity Mami Wata—a revered figure across parts of West and Central Africa associated with water, fertility, and wealth—TELLUS follows the compelling journey of a young boy who suddenly finds himself thrust into a remote village utterly devastated by a relentless, punishing drought. Guided through this desolate landscape by an enigmatic Old Lady who fluidly takes on the form of a protective and powerful goddess, the young boy slowly begins to understand the profound historical context of how humanity has gradually forgotten to properly care for and respect the land. Armed with this dawning realization, he sets out on an arduous, transformative journey to restore the delicate balance between human beings and the natural world before it is too late.

Musically and choreographically, TELLUS is just as adventurous and multi-layered as its narrative framework. With movement references ranging fluidly from the raw, high-energy beats of grime and hip hop to the technical precision of classical contemporary dance and the grounded, rhythmic power of African traditional movement, the production brilliantly bridges urban contemporary culture with ancient ancestral forms. These diverse movement vocabularies are paired seamlessly with an original, evocative musical score composed entirely by Mbi himself. Led primarily by emotive African vocals and intricate Chinese percussion, the score is performed completely live on stage, creating a vibrant, pulsing sonic environment that mirrors the emotional ebbs and flows of the narrative.

For audiences looking to experience this major cultural event, TELLUS will be performed at Sadler’s Wells East from Wednesday, October 21, through Saturday, October 24.