Message In A Bottle, the acclaimed dance theatre production by Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Kate Prince, set to the music of 17-time Grammy Award-winning artist Sting, has been filmed for cinema release in 2024. The stage show embarks on a UK and international tour from May 2023.
Message In A Bottle received its World Premiere at Sadler’s Wells’ West End venue, The Peacock Theatre, in February 2020. Highly original dance combines with breath-taking music in an uplifting story of humanity and hope.
The international refugee crisis is at the centre of Message In A Bottle – an imagined story about one displaced family, and a universal story of loss, fear, survival, hope and love. A village alive with joyous celebrations is suddenly under siege. Determined and daring, three parted siblings step out on their own extraordinary adventures.
Songs including “Every Breath You Take”,“Roxanne”, “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”and “Fields of Gold” feature in new arrangements by Alex Lacamoire, recorded by Sting and guest artists including Olivier Award-winner Beverley Knight. The show features the astonishing talents of dance storytelling powerhouse, ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company. Message In A Bottle is produced by Sadler’s Wells and Universal Music UK co-produced with Birmingham Hippodrome and The Lowry, Salford.
The film will be released in UK cinemas from June 2024, in partnership with the Royal Opera House. Message In A Bottle will also be broadcast in the US as part of the PBS Great Performances season.
This marks the first time Sadler’s Wells has filmed one of its productions for release in cinemas and is the first partnership between Sadler’s Wells and the Royal Opera House.
Stage2View, a leading independent company in the stage to screen world, teamed up with Mercury Studios and Sadler’s Wells to produce the film in a sound stage environment to maximise the unique creative opportunity. Kate Prince worked closely with BAFTA-winning screen director Marcus Viner to capture the show on six Arri-LF 4k cameras to ensure the highest possible quality film capture.
Kate Prince said: “Having the opportunity to film on a sound stage gave us the ability to capture each element of the show from the best possible angle, allowing the audience to truly appreciate the agility and athleticism of the dancers and draw them fully into the story. I am so excited that Message In A Bottle will hit cinemas next year, as well as the stage show embarking on a major tour.”
Sting said: “When I first saw Message In A Bottle,I was overwhelmed by all the different styles of dance in the show. What I really didn’t expect was to be so emotionally engaged in the story. Kate’s imaginative story and beautiful choreography has brought my songs to new life, and I am thrilled that there is now a film of the fantastic stage show.”
Sir Alistair Spalding CBE, Sadler’s Wells Artistic Director and Chief Executive said: “It's fantastic that we can bring Message In A Bottle to more people with this exciting film, which marks the first time one of our productions has been seen in cinemas. The meeting of Sting's rich catalogue of music and Kate Prince’s inventive and energy-filled choreography makes it a must-see show, with an important message at its heart.”
On stage, Message In A Bottle returns to Sadler’s Wells’ Peacock Theatre from 4 – 14 October 2023. Ahead of its London run the show tours to Southampton, Truro, Plymouth, Canterbury and Salford this summer, as well as Zurich, Switzerland, and venues in Luxembourg and the Netherlands.
