After sell-out performances the acclaimed children’s production Same Same .. But Different will be embarking on its second national tour this year offering joy and hope to children following what has been an incredibly difficult year.

Same Same…But Different is a new family show, mixing Kathak and contemporary dance, live music, beat boxing and physical storytelling, to create a playful and colourful world celebrating individuality, diversity and the bonds which connect us all.

Created by the award-winning Birmingham based Sonia Sabri Company, the tour officially opens at the EM Forster Theatre in Kent before embarking on a 20-date tour of theatres, schools and libraries including Midlands performances in Birmingham, Walsall, Hereford, Derby and Tamworth.  

This joyous, extremely funny, none-verbal production features an energetic cast of dancers who engage directly with audiences, tumbling and twisting to the specially commissioned music score exploring the times when we feel different and the times when we belong. The production is choreographed by Wolverhampton born international dance artist Sonia Sabri, one of the world’s leading Kathak dancers. Sonia is part of the creative team behind the spectacular large-scale production 'Wondrous Stories' which opens The Birmingham 2022 Festival as part of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.  

Sonia understands the importance of children attending live performances when she says: “Going to see a live performance has an enormous impact on children, it can improve their social skills, communication and motivation. With many children having spent more time at home than in school this year, we’re looking forward to giving them a memorable interactive, colourful theatre experience that we hope will stay with them for many years to come.”

 

Same Same ..  But Different has been made working in collaboration with a number of primary schools and the children’s creative ideas and lived experiences of being different and belonging have been brought into the show. It was originally commissioned by Birmingham Hippodrome and The Place with support from Birmingham Royal Ballet and is the company’s first ever children’s production.

 

The cast features dance artist Katie Albon who trained at Trinity Laban and has since danced with Autin Dance Theatre, Springs Dance Company, Ascension Dance and FRONTLINEdance; Aakanksha Rawat from India who is part of Sonia Sabri Company's teaching faculty and leads dance workshops in community settings and George Perez who has worked with companies such as Jasmin Vardimon Company on ‘Alice in VR wonderland’ and MCDC.

As part of the tour the company are especially excited to announce that they will be returning to live in-situ workshops in schools bringing dance and storytelling skills directly to students.  The company, who acknowledges support from Arts Council England, will use the children’s imagination and creativity to celebrate each person and their unique stories.

Aimed at children 5+ and their adults the production – on now – runs till Sunday November 28.