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# PREVIEW: Brighton choreographer works on reimagined Color Purple
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/preview-brighton-choreographer-works-on-reimagined-color-purple/
- Published: 2021-02-03T18:18:12.000Z
- Updated: 2021-02-03T15:51:14.000Z
- Description: Brian Butler talks to Brighton-based Mark Smith about his latest project
- Author: Brian Butler
- Tags: Arts, Cabaret, Dance, Music, Musical Theatre, Out & About, Previews, Queer Corner, Theatre, Travel, Birmingham Hippodrome, Mark Smith, Stephen Mear

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/artists-mark-smith-deaf-men-dancing-at-rcs-london-photo-julian-anderson600.jpg)](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/home/)

Brighton-based choreographer **Mark Smith** will this week be reimagining his original moves for a revamped online concert version of the hit musical **The Color Purple**.

Mark, who is artistic director of [Deaf Men Dancing ,](https://twitter.com/DeafMenDancing1?ref=scenemag.co.uk) will be at **Leicester’s Curve Theatre** re-setting and rehearsing his dance routines for the show, first staged by the Curve, in association with Birmingham Hippodrome in 2019.

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/purple-180-1-5600.jpg)](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/home/)

Before travelling Mark told me : “ My main aim in the choreography was to make the movement authentic, grounded, earthy and real, with a bit of sparkle and a flash of passion and fire ! My inspiration has been from Harlem and the NYC nightclub The Cotton Club – and the popular dances from Ragtime, the Cakewalks, the jazz and swing era like the Charleston, Black Bottom, Shimmy, Foxtrot and Lindy Hop as well as African dance , sign language and a contemporary flavour.

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/etjdhrbxyayo600.png)](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/home/)

“It will be a great joy again to see the original 2019 cast having such a fantastic time performing as well as educating the audience in the history of dance ! The staging this time will be different because of social distancing. There’ll be a revolve on stage which will be in the middle of the auditorium with cameras around the stage .

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/color-purpl300.jpg)](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/home/)

I’m excited to see how it will be filmed because it will be seen through fresh eyes and a different vision.”

The Curve had originally planned a concert version revival before lockdown restrictions made a physically present audience impossible.

The stream will run from 16 February to 7 March. It follows the tremendous success of a streamed version of Sunset Boulevard – [recently reviewed in Scene](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/review-sunset-boulevard-the-curve-leicester/) – and features the original 2019 full-staged production’s cast – including T’Shan Williams as Celie, and Danielle Fiamanya as Nettie. Based on Alice Walker’s Pulitzer-winning novel it will again be directed by Tinuke Craig, with Alex Parker as MD.

There will be 2000 free tickets available for NHS staff.

Dancing footnote : Mark’s partner , Oliver-award winning choreographer Stephen Mear also told me he’s looking forward to being back in theatres in London and Paris this year once restrictions are lifted.

Tickets and information for [The Color Purple at curveonline.co.uk](https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/the-color-purple/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

You can learn more about[ Mark Smiths work here](https://deafexplorer.com/artists/mark-smith/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)

[![](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/content/images/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/the-color-purple_732x471600400.jpg)](https://www.scenemag.co.uk/home/)