BWW REVIEWS: INTO THE HOODS, South Bank Centre

In the year when an urban dance troupe beat the nation's favourite crazy cat lady to win Britain's Got Talent, it was no surprise that Into The Hoods was welcomed back for a special Christmas run at the South Bank Centre. The show, which describes itself as 'hip hop theatre' is almost a hip hop musical, apart from the slight issue that it doesn't have any singing in it. Instead, it is ninety minutes of non-stop energetic street dance - think handstands, headspins and footwork as fancy as possible in chunky trainers. Meanwhile, a simple, light-hearted fairytale narrative gives meaning to the movement.

Although there were some teenagers in the audience who looked like they knew their Wiley from their Kano and a fair few 'brrrappp!'s when the show began, the rest were mainly white, middle class families indulging their under-satisfied taste for a hot beat. The soundtrack choices were very mainstream and accessible, including Jamelia and Donna Summer as well as Dizzee Rascal and 50 Cent. It's hip hop culture softened, shined up and packaged for the masses. This could be considered demeaning, but if Into The Hoods can help the British ethnic majority engage with the culture of an ethnic minority, it can only be a good thing. The general message of the show seemed to be that 'the hood' can appear frightening at first, but is full of real people with dreams and emotions. Although some characters suffered hardships and some had immoral motives, they spent most of the show having a great time getting their groove on, and the audience were enjoying themselves just as much.

Essentially, Into The Hoods is a super-cool alternative to the family trip to the panto. It's a great showcase of the best of British street dance talent, and exhibits this subculture to a demographic most of whom were unaware until this year that it even existed. It would be great to see more shows, whether they are dance shows, musicals or straight theatre, which reflect British youth culture as it is today. Not only does a show like Into The Hoods allow us a fascinating insight into new and exciting art forms, but it attracts an audience who wouldn't be seen dead at a theatre on any other occasion. Let's hope it's the first of many of its kind.