Award-winning UK choreographer and dancer Aakash Odedra returns to Australia with his stunning, critically acclaimed dance work, Songs of the Bulbul at the Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne from February 3 – 7 2026.
Winner of the Best Show Award at Edinburgh International Festival, this solo dance piece brings together the graceful yet powerful art of Kathak dance and Sufi storytelling to create a dialogue between intense physicality and a spiritual journey.
Inspired by the ancient Sufi myth of a bulbul (or nightingale) held in captivity, the work uses the beauty of this songbird’s melody as a metaphor for the fleeting moments of dance, and life itself.
Bound by its constraints, the bird’s despair deepens as its final moments approach, and it sings more sweetly as its end draws near, delivering one last heartbreaking song before its soul departs.
From Persia to the Indian subcontinent, from freedom to captivity, Songs of the Bulbul explores the soul’s journey towards divine love and enlightenment. In this extraordinary performance, Odedra poses a universal question – will we remain confined to the material world like the caged bird, or will we find freedom in the ultimate release?
Developed with choreographer Rani Khanam and composer Rushil Ranjan, Odedra combines Ranjan’s new score with the music, dance and poetry traditions of Sufism to create an ambitious work that is both ferocious and contemplative.
Since its debut, the work has garnered critical acclaim across Europe, praised for its breathtaking precision, emotional depth, and innovative fusion of classical and contemporary forms. Critics at the Edinburgh International Festival celebrated it as “a mesmerising tour de force” and “a profound exploration of freedom and the human spirit.”
Following the Arts Centre Melbourne season Songs of the Bulbul will be performed at Perth Festival from 13 – 15 February 2026. The Australian tour of Songs of the Bulbul is presented by Far & Away Productions. This production has been supported by Manchester Camerata, Jacobs Pillow, Arts Council England and the British Council.